Double-ended openers beverage can

The invention relates to a beverage can with an opener at each end allowing the user to drink from the first end while opening the second end which results in the liquid rapidly evacuating the beverage can. The beverage can is particularly useful for chug-a-lugging beer.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a can with an opener, which is used as a container for beverages such as soft drinks, beer and the like. More specifically the present invention relates to a beer can that can be opened at both ends.

2. Description of the Related Art

Related art is a beverage can with a spout that can be easily opened by lifting a pull top such as a tab or a pull ring supported by a rivet on a top wall of the can. Recently, such type of can has been widely used as containers for beverages such as soft drinks, beer and the like. The material is most commonly aluminum and the most commonly used opener is the pull-ring opener. In order to drink beer rapidly, or chug-a-lug, the user creates a second opening at the end of the can opposite the opener. The can would be stabbed using a knife or other sharp object. Another method of opening the second end of the can is by the use of specially designed openers such as the Shotgun Can Opener which creates the second opening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The first structure of a can, according to the present invention, is a can with two spouts each at opposite ends of can which are opened during the process of drinking beer. This allows the user to chug-a-lug the beer. In simple terms the user's throat opens up and the beer is poured in as it would in an open pipe. The normal swallowing mechanism is not used. In a preferred embodiment the can is opened by lifting and pulling a pull-ring fixed on a top wall of the can with a rivet to bend a sealing tongue portion toward the inside of the can. The user then places the opening against her mouth, inverts the can and opens the opposite end of the can by pulling a pull-ring fixed on a bottom wall of the can with a rivet to bend a sealing tongue portion toward the inside of the can. The beer rapidly pours out of the can into the user's throat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective top end structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective bottom end structure of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective top end structure of the present invention wherein the can has been opened producing a spout;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a user drinking from the can; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a can showing the flow of liquid and air.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is a can 1 with a top wall 2 and a bottom wall 3 with a circular side wall 4 connecting the top 1 and bottom 3 walls. FIG. 1 discloses the top wall 2 joined to the side wall 4 at the circular annular seal 5 which is adjacent to a tapered neck portion 6. The top wall 2 has a sealing tongue portion 8 which is the future opening, or spout 9, to the internal of the can 1. Adjacent to the sealing tongue portion 8 is a projection 10 with a pull ring mounted to it and retained by a fixing member 11. FIG. 3 shows the can 1 after the pull ring 12 has been raised wherein the pull ring 12 has depressed the sealing tongue portion 8 into the internal of the can 1 producing an opening or spout 9 for drinking the contents of the can 1. FIG. 2 further discloses the preferred embodiment wherein the bottom wall 3, with a pedestal 7, has a sealing tongue portion 8 which is the future opening to the internal of the can 1. Adjacent to the bottom wall 3 sealing tongue portion 8 is a projection 10 with a pull ring 12 mounted to it and retained by a fixing member 11. FIG. 3 shows the can 1 after the pull ring 12 has been raised wherein the pull ring 12 has depressed the sealing tongue portion 8 into the internal of the can 1. FIG. 4 shows the user 13 with the opened top wall 2 end against the user's 13 mouth and the can 1 held upwards wherein the second wall 3 end has been opened after the can 1 has been held in the upwards position which allows air 14, FIG. 5, to enter the can 1 allowing the liquid to exit the can 15 much faster. In this manner the liquid, usually beer, can be rapidly poured down the user's 13 throat without the user 13 having to use normal swallowing motions. This is commonly referred to as chug-a-lugging or shot-gunning the beer.

The can 1 of the present embodiment is cylindrical which is commercially distributed for beer, or the like. However, the present invention is not restricted to the cylindrical form and is applicable to any kind of can with a pull-ring (pull top, pull tab) opener regardless of the shape, size, material and content thereof.

Claims

1. A beverage can comprising:

a top wall with means for selectively opening the can;
a bottom wall with means for selectively opening the can; and
a side wall extending between the top wall and bottom wall.

2. A beverage can as in claim 1 wherein the can is comprised of aluminum.

3. The beverage can of claim 1 wherein a circular ridge is adjacent to the top and bottom walls of the can.

4. The beverage can of claim 1 wherein the top wall has a dispensing opening.

5. The beverage can of claim 4 wherein the top wall dispensing opening is sealed with a sealing tongue portion.

6. The beverage can of claim 5 wherein the top wall has a projection.

7. A beverage can as in claim 6 wherein the beverage can has an inside and there is a pull-ring for opening the dispensing opening, the pull-ring being fixed to the projection formed on the top wall of the can, wherein the dispensing opening can be opened by lifting and pulling the pull-ring to bend the sealing tongue portion towards the inside of the can.

8. The beverage can of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall has an opening.

9. The beverage can of claim 8 wherein the bottom wall opening is sealed with a sealing tongue portion.

10. The beverage can of claim 9 wherein the bottom wall has a projection.

11. A beverage can as in claim 10 wherein the beverage can has an inside and there is a pull-ring for opening the beverage can, the pull-ring being fixed to the projection formed on the bottom wall of the can, wherein the can be opened by lifting and pulling the pull-ring to bend the sealing tongue portion towards the inside of the can.

12. A beverage can comprising:

a top wall with a dispensing opening that is normally closed by a sealing tongue portion;
a bottom wall with an opening that is normally closed by a sealing tongue portion; and
a side wall extending between the top wall and bottom wall.

13. A beverage can as in claim 12 wherein the can is comprised of aluminum.

14. The beverage can of claim 12 wherein a circular ridge is adjacent to the top and bottom walls of the can.

15. The beverage can of claim 12 wherein the top wall has a projection.

16. A beverage can as in claim 15 wherein a pull-ring for opening the dispensing opening is affixed to the projection formed on the top wall and bottom wall of the can, wherein the dispensing openings can be opened by lifting and pulling the pull-ring to bend the sealing tongue portion toward the inside of the can.

17. The beverage can of claim 12 wherein the bottom wall has a projection.

18. A beverage can as in claim 17 wherein the beverage can has an inside and a pull-ring for opening the opening is affixed to the projection formed on the bottom wall of the beverage can, wherein the opening can be opened by lifting and pulling the pull-ring to bend the sealing tongue portion toward the inside of the can.

19. A method of opening a beverage container, the beverage container having a top wall with means for selectively opening the can, a bottom wall with means for selectively opening the can and a side wall extending between the top wall and bottom wall; the method comprising:

opening the top wall with the opening means;
inverting the beverage can;
opening the bottom wall with the opening means
emptying the beverage from the can;

20. The method of opening a beverage container in claim 20 wherein the opening means is a pull tab.

Patent History
Publication number: 20100000997
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 2, 2008
Publication Date: Jan 7, 2010
Inventor: Erik L. Southers (Cypress, CA)
Application Number: 12/217,101
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Gripping Means Attached To Or Integral With Member Or Portion (e.g., Pull Tab) (220/269)
International Classification: B65D 17/34 (20060101);