CN103140424A - Lid for beverage can - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lid (2) for a container (1), where the lid is made from a thin plate -shaped material and adapted to be mounted on and hermetically close the container (1). Moreover, the lid comprises score lines (3) where the thin material can be torn to form a discharge opening (12) in the lid, where the starting points (4) for tearing the score lines are located at the brim (5) of the lid. The lid further comprises an area bulging out from the brim between the score lines to form a gripping device (6) and the lid is made from metal.

Description

beverage can lid

technical field

The present invention relates to a cap for a container, wherein the cap is made of a sheet-shaped material adapted to fit over the container and hermetically close the container, the cap comprising a score line, wherein the thin material can be torn to A discharge port is formed in the cover.

Background of the invention

Containers, such as beverage cans, are currently opened by an in-dwelling pull tab, which provides a discharge opening in the lid of the can.

However, earlier metal beverage cans did not have a pull tab; they were opened with a can opener or a triangular opener (a device similar to a bottle opener with a point). The can is opened by punching two triangular holes in the lid - a larger hole for drinking and a second smaller hole to let air into the can.

As early as 1922, inventors were applying for patents for cans with tab tops, but the technology of the time made these inventions unfeasible.

Mikola Kondakow of Ontario, Canada invented the tab form for bottles in 1956 (Canadian Patent 476789). Then, in 1962, Ermal Cleon Fraze invented a similar all-in-one rivet and tab form (also known as a pull ring, which has a ring attached to the rivet for pulling and which will come off completely for disposal. U.S. Patent No. 3,349,949 was awarded this can design.

Older pull tabs tend to come off easily. The New England Journal of Medicine reports a case of a person swallowing a pull tab that had broken off and fallen into a jar. The design of the tab was solved by Daniel F. Cudzik, who developed the indwelling tab in 1975.

The retention tab was designed by Daniel F. Cudzik for Reynolds Metals Co. aluminum cans. This design reduces injuries and reduces litter from the removable tab. The mechanism uses a separate pull tab attached to the upper surface as a lever to depress the scored portion of the lid, which folds under the top of the can and out of the way of the resulting opening. Such "tab-retained" cans are widely used today. In fact it is one of the most, if not the most used beverage container today.

However, when using cans that are opened with a retention tab, there is a risk of contaminating the contents of the can when the can is opened. This is due to the fact that the scored portion of the outer surface of the lid is pressed into the can when it is opened. External surfaces may be contaminated with bacteria and viruses and other hazardous particles. Contaminants can in fact be fatal to consumers, and several cases of serious illness and death have actually been reported from capped beverages.

Although, the above problems have been solved and several solutions including closures and stickers have been proposed as for example in patent documents US2004/134913 and KR20030041403, there is still a need for lids for containers and jars with an opening mechanism which Mechanisms inherently provide the risk of contaminating the contents of the container or tank.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lid for a container or jar with a discharge opening which can be opened to access the contents of the container or jar without risk of contamination.

Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide beverage cans with spouts which can remain sterile and free of other harmful substances.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a reliable lid (of a container) with the required mechanical strength.

Thus, the present invention seeks to provide a container or jar lid which is easy to open and which, when opened, has a clean and sterile discharge opening from which the consumer takes the contents.

The object of the invention is achieved by a lid for a container or can having the features defined in claim 1 . Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent sub-claims and described in the description below and illustrated in the drawings.

The lid of the container according to the invention is made of a sheet-shaped material adapted to fit over the container and hermetically close the container, said lid comprising score lines wherein the sheet-shaped material can be torn to form rows in the lid. an outlet, wherein the starting point for tearing the score lines is at the rim of the cover, and wherein the cover further comprises a region protruding from the rim between the score lines to form a gripping means, wherein the cover is made of metal, said The metal is preferably aluminum.

By having the starting point for the tear score line at the edge of the lid, the lid can be opened from the edge towards eg the center of the lid and a convenient larger opening can be made in the lid. Such a larger opening is very suitable, for example, for drinking from a can.

Furthermore, by having the starting point for tearing the score line at the rim or edge of the lid, the score line will also extend into the area where the lid closes and seals the container, ie the edge of the container. Thus, when the score line is torn to provide the spout, the lid material making up the spout will be removed from the edge of the container and thereby expose the uncontaminated edge of the container, remaining so until the opening of the spout has been covered and protected by the lid .

A vent is provided in the area between the two score lines, and when the score lines are torn, only the area between the score lines is affected. Thus, in most cases the main part of the lid remains attached to the container.

A cover made of metal is a reliable cover and has the required mechanical strength. The metal is preferably aluminum; however, another metal may also be used.

To facilitate tearing of the score lines, the cover preferably also includes regions protruding from the rim between the score lines to form gripping means. The gripping means may be some sort of tab extending from the rim of the lid, and is preferably of sufficient size to allow proper handling to tear the score line.

Alternatively, the holding device can be equipped with a pull tab, although this solution is more expensive. Solutions with tabs may also require rivets to install the tabs through the cover, making the solution more expensive. Thus, one of the advantages of the present invention is that no tab is required.

Covers according to the invention may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal, eg stainless steel and aluminium. In order to make it feasible to use the machines currently used to fit the lids on the containers, the lids are preferably made of aluminium.

The container may be made of any desired material, however, for many embodiments the container is preferably made of stainless steel or aluminum, or the same material as the lid.

The cover preferably has a thickness in the range of 70 microns to 110 microns, more preferably a thickness in the range of 80 microns to 100 microns. This thickness achieves a cover of sufficient strength with a minimum of material usage. Furthermore, a thickness in the range of 70 microns to 110 microns makes it possible to press score lines in the lid material which can be torn relatively easily. A suitable thickness of the cover is, for example, 90 microns.

At least a portion of the cover preferably includes one or more reinforcements for the purpose of easier opening of the discharge opening in the cover. The reinforcement is a conveniently pressed rib which can be easily pressed in the cover material.

In order to obtain a spout with good properties for emptying or drinking from a container closed by the lid, the score line preferably forms a generally frusto-conical area on the surface of the lid. Accordingly, the discharge opening will also become generally frusto-conical or tapered towards the center of the lid, and thereby make it easy to drink, for example, the contents of the container.

What is required is that the cap according to the invention can form part of the process normally used for closing and sealing containers. Such a process typically includes a crimping operation, and the lid is preferably adapted to fit on the container by the crimping operation. Additional grooves and indentations may be formed in the cover during the process of installing the cover. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, a portion of the score line is secured around the edge of the container during the crimping operation. In this way, the container can be opened and expose a portion of the container rim covered by the lid.

Although the cap according to the invention can be used for a wide variety of containers, such as food, pharmaceutical and liquid containers, the cap is very suitable for closing and sealing containers which are beverage cans.

In a preferred embodiment, the portion of the lid forming the outlet remains attached to the lid after the score line has been torn. In this way, the lid according to the invention offers the same advantages as indwelling tabs, but without the disadvantages of indwelling tabs, namely the inherent risk of contaminating the contents of the container. Thus, the cap according to the invention is very environmentally friendly and hygienic to use. The spout portion of the cover may remain attached to the cover in specially adapted areas, eg areas with pressed indentations or grooves. This may further facilitate opening of the discharge opening. The pressed indentation or groove is suitably located next to the center of the cover.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a cap according to the invention mounted on a tank,

Figure 2 shows a 3D view of the embodiment of Figure 1,

Figure 3 shows the cap installed on the tank with the discharge opening opened,

FIG. 4 shows a 3D view of the lid and can of FIG. 3 .

Figure 5 shows the cap according to the invention and how to open the discharge opening,

Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the cap according to the invention.

Detailed ways

The lid according to the invention provides a cost-effective solution for closing and sealing the container, since no tabs and rivets for mounting the tabs are required. Especially in the case of closed and sealed beverage cans, the lid provides a solution to improve hygiene, since the lid covers the area of the can that will not come into contact with the consumer until the spout is opened. In this way, the area remains clean and sterile until the contents of the canister are opened and accessed. This is a huge advantage over known indwelling tabs which have the inherent risk of contaminating the contents of the canister.

Hereinafter, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts in the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment where the lid is mounted on a can adapted to contain a beverage.

FIG. 1 a shows a can 1 with a lid 2 seen from the front. Figure 1 b shows the same view, but with the tank 1 rotated by 90 degrees. In FIG. 1 a the starting points of the two score lines 3 for tearing the lid 2 are seen. The starting point 4 for tearing the score line 3 is located on the edge 5 of the cover 2 . Furthermore, it can be seen that the gripping device 6 is located between the two scoring lines 3 .

The gripping device 6 is also visible in FIG. 1 b. In Figures 1a and 1b, the edge 5 of the cover 2

FIG. 1 c is a top view of a can 1 with a lid 2 . From this view it can be seen that the score line 3 encloses, together with the part comprising the rim 5 of the gripping means 6 , an area 7 on the lid which becomes the discharge opening when the score line 3 is torn. In the central part of the cover 2 is formed an indentation 8, the area 7 is bendable when the score line 3 is torn, and the area 7 forms a discharge opening. The area 7 remains attached to the lid along the indentation 8 when the score line 3 is torn. In this embodiment, the cover 2 is also provided with reinforcing ribs, which have been pressed into the cover 2 . The ribs 9 facilitate tearing of the score line 3 to allow for a discharge opening.

Figure 2 is a three-dimensional view of a can 1 with a lid 2 according to the invention. The lid 2 has been mounted on the can 1 by using a common crimping tool. The lid 2 has been crimped on the edge 10 of the can 1 , and the crimping tool has made an indentation 11 in the lid 2 along the edge 10 of the can 1 to ensure a tight and airtight connection between the lid 2 and the can 1 .

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the score line 3 is part of the crimped cap 2 and that the region 7 where the discharge opening is to be formed is also part of the crimped cap 2 .

FIG. 3 shows a can 1 with a lid 2 in which the score line has been torn and a discharge opening 12 has been formed by lifting the area 7 without the portion of the lid 2 remaining attached to the can 1 .

Corresponding to FIG. 1 , FIG. 3 a is a front view of the can 1 with the lid 2 , in FIG. 3 b the can 1 has been rotated by 90 degrees, and FIG. 3 c is a top view of the can 1 and the lid 2 .

As can be seen in FIG. 3 a , the area 7 is generally frusto-conical and is attached to the cover at the lower end 8 . The approximately frusto-conical shape of the region 7 provides a corresponding approximately frusto-conical outlet opening 12 in the cover 2 . Such a frusto-conical outlet is very suitable for drinking from the tank 1 . Furthermore, the part of the cover forming the area 7 remains attached to the cover at the fastening area 8 . In this way, the lid part 7 will not separate from the lid 2 and can 1 and end up eg as roadside litter and cause environmental problems. Furthermore, an indentation 11 formed by a crimping tool can be seen on the cover part 7 in FIG. 3 b .

Furthermore, it can be seen that when the lid part 7 is opened to form the discharge opening 12, it will expose an area 13 on the edge of the can 1 which is covered by the lid 2 until opening. Thus, this area 13 can be kept free of bacteria and other harmful substances to which the can 1 and lid 2 may be exposed during storage, and the invention provides a very safe and hygienic solution for storing and serving eg beverages.

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional view of a can 1 with a lid 2 in which the discharge opening 12 has been opened by tearing off the lid portion 7 .

Figures 5a, 5b and 5c show how to open the discharge opening 12 in the lid 2 of the can 1 .

In FIG. 5 a the lid 2 closes and seals the can 1 .

In FIG. 5 b , the lid part 7 has been opened by using the gripping means 6 and thereby permits access to the interior of the can 1 via the discharge opening 12 . The cover part 7 is attached to the cover 2 by forming a recessed area 8 in the cover 2 .

In FIG. 5c the lid part 7 is turned up and lies approximately flat on the lid 2 . When the lid part 7 is in this position it is very convenient to drink a beverage from a can eg using the opening 12 in the lid 2 . The lid part 7 can be tilted back to close the tank 1, eg to prevent insects from entering the tank. The tilting is done on the area 8 .

Figure 6 shows three different embodiments of the cap according to the invention.

Figure 6a shows a cap 2 with a substantially circular cross-section. The cover 2 is provided with a score line 3 from which an opening in the cover 2 can be formed by tearing the score line 3 from a starting point 4 at the edge 5 of the cover 2 .

Gripping means 6 are formed at the edge 5 of the cover 2 between the score lines 3 . The holding device 6 is formed into a pull ring shape, and is convenient to use.

Figure 6b shows an embodiment in which the score line 3 is produced in the lid 2 in such a way that the lid portion 7 where the opening in the lid 2 is expected to become substantially rectangular. In this embodiment, the gripping means 6 has a semi-circular shape.

FIG. 6c shows a substantially rectangular cover 2 . A score line 3 and a gripping means 6 are formed at one end. Such a lid may eg be suitable for jars containing powdered food or condiments such as mustard powder.

While the invention has been described with reference to only a few embodiments, it should be understood that the invention includes several other embodiments, which are all within the scope of the invention. The invention has been described mainly with reference to cans, especially for beverages. However, the lid according to the invention can also be used for other containers, such as containers for powdered food, eg milk powder or condiments.

Claims (9)

1. the lid of a container, described lid is made by the slice-shaped material, and adjusted to be arranged on described container and be sealed shut described container, described lid comprises line of weakness, wherein said slice-shaped material can be torn to form discharge orifice in described lid, wherein be positioned at the edge of described lid for the initial point of tearing described line of weakness, and wherein said lid also comprises the zone outstanding from the described edge between described line of weakness, to form grip device, wherein said lid is made of metal, and described metal is aluminium preferably.

2. lid according to claim 1, wherein said lid have the thickness to 110 micrometer ranges at 70 microns.

3. according to claim 1 or lid claimed in claim 2, at least a portion of wherein said lid comprises one or more reinforcings.

4. lid according to claim 3, wherein said reinforcing is the rib that suppresses.

5. according to the described lid of any one in previous claim, wherein said line of weakness forms frusto-conical region on the surface of described lid.

6. according to the described lid of any one in previous claim, wherein said cover is adjusted by flange crimping operation and is installed on described container.

7. lid according to claim 6, wherein in described flange crimping operation around the limit of described container the part of the fixing described line of weakness of crimping.

8. according to the described lid of any one in previous claim, be wherein beverage can by the described container that described cap seal closes.

9. according to the described lid of any one in previous claim, the part that wherein forms the described lid of discharge orifice keeps being attached to described lid after tearing described line of weakness.

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