CLOSING ELEMENT FOR A BEVERAGE CAN
A closing element for temporarily closing off an opening of a can having a press-in tab, the closing element including: a covering element adapted to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening; a flexible closing part which is provided on the covering element for clamping the covering element to the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening in the operative position; at least one positioning element which protrudes from a tip of the covering element and is embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening; a notch which is provided in the upper side of the covering element and in which the press-in tip of the press-in tab can be placed for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening in the operative position.
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The present invention relates to a closing element for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab for opening the drinking or pouring opening via a press-in tip of the press-in tab.
Numerous embodiments of cans are known for storing liquid substances, in particular a carbonated or non-carbonated beverage, or solid substances, for example scatterable or pourable particles. The cans generally consist of a substantially cylindrical container made of metal (in particular tin). A press-in tab is provided on one of the end walls of the container. The press-in tab can be rotatably fastened to the end wall and is also swivellable with respect thereto in such a way that a bottom tip of the press-in tab, also referred to as the press-in tip, can press against a part of the end wall. This part is partially surrounded by a weakened tear line, so that pressing-in by means of the press-in tip of the press-in tab allows the part in question to be partially torn off from the remainder of the end wall and to be bent over downwards. This creates in the end wall a drinking or pouring opening along which the contents of the can may be dispensed.
Cans of this type have the advantage of being able to be opened by hand, without external auxiliary means, and, moreover, there are no loose components after opening, since both the press-in tab and the bent-over part of the end wall remain fastened to the can. However, a drawback of the known can is the fact that the can may no longer be closed once it has been opened. After all, the bent-over part of the end wall is bent downwards and can no longer be bent back in such a way that the drinking or pouring opening is closed off again. If, for example, the consumer wishes to consume just a part of the contents of the can, the remainder of the contents is left behind in the opened can, as a result of which ageing phenomena, for example, such as loss of carbonate in a carbonated beverage, can occur. A further drawback is the fact that when the cans are used outdoors, for example, foreign objects such as insects can enter the can; this is of course undesirable.
There are numerous solutions for being able to temporarily close off a can again once it has been opened. It is for example possible to rotate the press-in tab, which is often rotatable with respect to the end wall with the aid of a pin, in such a way, for example through 180°, that the part of the press-in tab that is grasped by the user will cover the drinking or pouring opening. In this way, the contents of the can may be protected to a certain degree because the access to the can via the opening is screened off somewhat. However, it is then not possible to produce a liquid-tight closure of the drinking or pouring opening, let alone for the seal to also be gas-tight. In the case of carbonated beverages in particular, in which the pressure within the can may become elevated, it has been found to be possible to produce a good seal. This means that in known cans the contents can leak out of the can and/or that carbonate can escape in the case of a carbonated beverage, as a result of which the quality of the beverage deteriorates.
US document U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,720 B1 discloses a solution wherein the press-in tab is provided at its tip positioned opposite the press-in tip with a separate support leg. If, after having opened and subsequently having used the can, the press-in tab is now rotated through half a turn so that a closing part is rotated over the drinking or pouring opening, the support leg is secured against a stop (resting member) provided on the end wall in such a way that the press-in tip rests tight against the upper side of the closing part. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the closing part can be pushed more effectively against the circumferential edge along the drinking or pouring opening. This is said to allow a liquid and even gas-tight seal to be produced between the closing part and the can.
However, a drawback of the known solution is the fact that the design of the (standard) can has to be adapted as a result of the fact that the press-in tab has to be provided with a support leg and a closing part and the end wall of the can has to be provided with a stop. This means that the known solution cannot be applied to the current standard cans. A further drawback is the fact that the downward pressure exerted by the press-in tab has to be reasonably great in order to allow a good, air-tight closure, certainly when the can contains a carbonated substance and the pressure within the can may therefore become fairly high.
A further drawback is the fact that the closure (closing cap), which is secured in the drinking or pouring opening, has to be detached each time the consumer wishes to take a swig from the can. Not only is this awkward; the frequent securing and detaching of the closure can cause damage thereto or excessive wear thereof.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved closing element in which at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art are at least partially overcome.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a closing element having good closing properties.
It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a closing element which is suitable to be applied to existing designs of cans without thereby necessitating essential adaptations of the design.
According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the aforementioned objects is achieved in a closing element for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can of the sort mentioned in the preamble, the closing element comprising:
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- a covering element which is formed to be able to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening;
- a flexible closing part which is provided on the covering element for clamping the covering element to the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening in the operative position;
- preferably at least one positioning element which protrudes from a tip of the covering element and is preferably embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening;
- a clamping element which is provided at the upper side of the covering element and is configured to place the press-in tip of the press-in tab thereon for securing the covering element with the closing part to the circumferential edge in the operative position.
As a result of the fact that the press-in tab can exert a force on the covering element, the covering element remains effectively secured in the drinking or pouring opening and is prevented from becoming unexpectedly detached from the can. In addition, certainly in combination with the closing-off by the flexible closing part, the risk of leakage is relatively low.
In specific embodiments, the closing element comprises two components which are swivellable with respect to each other. In embodiments of this type, the covering element can comprise a first closing component which can be fastened to the can and a second closing component which is swivellable with respect to the first closing component. The first closing component can in this case be embodied to remain permanently fastened to the can during use. Swivelling the second closing component up and down allows a beverage opening provided in the first component to be opened or closed.
In a specific embodiment, the covering element comprises:
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- a first closing component provided with the aforementioned flexible closing part for clamping the closing component against the drinking or pouring opening and also with a beverage opening which can be positioned before the drinking or pouring opening;
- a second closing component provided with a closing protrusion which can be slid into the beverage opening;
- at least one swivelling element between the first and second closing components so as to be able to swivel the second closing component with respect to the first closing component between a closed position, in which the closing protrusion is slid into the beverage opening and closes off the beverage opening, and an opened position, in which the closing protrusion leaves the beverage opening substantially clear.
In a specific embodiment, the clamping element comprises a face which extends in the operative position at an angle (α) (with respect to the covering element or, in the fitted position, with respect to the end wall of the can) and against which the press-in tip of the press-in tab can be placed. Preferably, this causes the height of the aforementioned face to increase from a position close to the pin of the press tab to a position more remote from this pin. In this way, the tip can effectively secure the closing element. The aforementioned angle (α) may vary but in a preferred embodiment the angle is between 10 and 40 degrees, preferably 20 degrees.
The positioning element is provided in specific embodiments on the flexible closing part. The flexible closing part can in this case be placed for example against the side of the edge of the drinking or pouring opening, while the positioning element can be placed below the aforementioned edge. This allows the covering element to be secured in an appropriate position with respect to the can.
A positioning element of this type can comprise a ridge extending in the operative position at least partially along the edge of the drinking or pouring opening. A ridge of this type, also known as an anti-release ridge, can be singly or multiply embodied (for example in the form of a number of lamellae provided one below another) and ensures that a certain resistance has to be overcome in order to remove the covering element from the drinking or pouring opening.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the closing element comprises:
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- a covering element which is formed to be able to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening;
- a flexible closing part which is provided on the covering element for clamping the covering element to the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening in the operative position;
- at least one positioning element which protrudes from a tip of the covering element and is embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening;
- a clamping element which is provided at the upper side of the covering element and is configured to place the press-in tip of the press-in tab thereon for securing the covering element with the closing part to the circumferential edge in the operative position, the clamping element being formed by a notch in the covering element.
The positioning element allows the closing element to be already secured at one tip to the can, while afterwards the press-in tip of the press-in tab can keep the remainder of the closing element pushed into the opening. The distance between the positioning element and the location of the recess is in this case such that the closing element is pressed robustly against the circumferential walls of the opening as a consequence of a “leverage effect”. Preferably, instead of one single positioning element, two or more positioning elements arranged next to one another are used so that the closing element can be attached in a stable manner against the circumferential edge of the opening.
According to one embodiment of the invention, an upright edge is attached in the notch, the upright edge being embodied to place (and preferably to clamp) the press-in tip of the press-in tab thereafter. The upright edge is preferably embodied obliquely to form a sort of hook preventing the press-in tip from being able to slide over the upright edge. This preserves the position that the press-in tab is in when the press-in tab is pressed by the closing element against the circumferential edge of the can.
In one embodiment of the invention, the one or more closing parts have a shape corresponding substantially to the shape of the drinking or pouring opening. The closing parts can also be somewhat oversized with respect to the drinking or pouring opening, for improving the sealing quality of the closing element.
In one embodiment, the closing part comprises various side flanges arranged one below another. The side flanges can form a sort of concertina or lamellar structure, wherein one or more of the tips of the side flanges (lamellae) can be pushed over the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening. As described hereinbefore, the flanges can be made of flexible material and are formed to be somewhat laterally oversized with respect to the drinking or pouring opening so that one or more flanges have to be pressed over the circumferential edge of the opening in order to be able to fit the closing element. After fitting of the closing element, the circumferential edge is located between two neighbouring flanges or between a flange and the remainder of the covering element so that a good air-tight closure can be produced. The number of side flanges may vary as a function of inter alia the material used, the dimensions and/or shape of the drinking or pouring opening and of the desired degree of clamping of the closing element in the opening. If the contents of the can are for example a carbonated beverage, a considerable pressure can be produced in the can. The number of side flanges is then selected so as to be relatively high, for example three or more. If the contents of the can are a non-carbonated beverage or comprise a substance containing solid particles, for example, a lower number of side flanges is sufficient.
According to one embodiment, the closing part extending downwards from the covering element forms an open cavity, that is to say a cavity which is openly connected to the contents of the can. The closing part can in this case be embodied so as to be sufficiently flexible or at least laterally bendable that it is pressed laterally outwards when a build-up of pressure takes place in the cavity (for example as a consequence of the presence of a carbonated liquid in the can) so that the clamping to the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening can generally be increased.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the closing element comprises a gripping part with which the covering element can be gripped by hand. The gripping part has the advantage of allowing the closing element to be removed simply and rapidly from the drinking or pouring opening again, even in cases in which the closing element has been robustly clamped to the circumferential edge of the opening.
In embodiments of the invention, the positioning element is embodied to keep the aforementioned tip of the covering element pressed into the drinking or pouring opening, while the notch is formed to keep a different part of the covering element pressed into the drinking or pouring opening. The positioning element and the notch therefore interact to press the closing element and to keep it pressed against the drinking or pouring opening robustly and in a substantially uniform manner.
In a further embodiment, the outer circumference of the closing part has a decreasing diameter in the direction transverse to the body portion. In the embodiments in which the closing part has a number of side flanges, these side flanges extend downwards less and less far laterally. In these embodiments, it is relatively simple to introduce the closing element into the opening. In addition, the closing element can then be pressed further or less far into the opening, depending on the desired degree of clamping. If the closing element is pressed further into the opening, the clamping is for example greater than when the closing element is pressed less far into the opening. A balance must be sought between a clamping force which is as high as possible, in order to obtain an appropriate degree of sealing, and a clamping force which is as low as possible, in order to be able to easily remove the closing element from the opening after use.
According to another aspect of the invention, a closing element is provided for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab for opening the drinking or pouring opening via a press-in tip of the press-in tab, the closing element comprising:
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- a covering element which is formed to be able to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening;
- a flexible closing part which is provided on the covering element and rests in the operative position against the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening for closing off the drinking or pouring opening;
- at least one positioning element which protrudes from a tip of the covering element and is embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening;
the covering element being made of pliable material which has in the starting position an at least partially spherical shape and which has in the operative position a less spherical shape or flat shape for securing the covering element with the closing part to the circumferential edge in the operative position.
In the starting position, the covering element has a spherical shape so that the dimensions of the covering element are relatively small, viewed from above. This means that the covering element can be placed relatively easily in the pouring or drinking opening. Once the covering element has been placed in the opening, the user presses against the spherical part of the covering element, so that the covering element assumes a less spherical or even flat shape. This causes the dimensions of the covering element to increase, viewed from above, so that the covering element, or more specifically the closing element, is pressed robustly against the edge of the opening. This ensures improved closing-off of the opening.
In specific embodiments, the covering element is pressed in by hand in order to effect the aforementioned clamping of the closing element. In other embodiments, the pressing-in takes place by utilizing the press-in tab provided on the can as standard. As a consequence of the stresses in the covering element, the covering element tends to automatically return to the “spherical” state (i.e. the starting state). A tip of the press-in tab that is placed in the notch of the covering element can prevent this return to the “spherical” state, so that provided that the press-in tab remains in the notch, the covering element maintains the relatively flat shape and thus remains robustly fixed in the pouring or drinking opening.
In another embodiment, the closing part comprises a circumferential element comprising a vertical part and a horizontal part, the vertical and horizontal parts of the circumferential element lying in the operative position against respectively the side and the top of the circumferential edge. This can ensure that the closing part can close off the drinking or pouring opening both from the side and from the top, so that a particularly good seal can be produced.
The closing element is preferably a separate component, that is to say independent of the can itself. The closing element can for example be fastened to the can prior to use, for example in an embodiment in which the closing element is provided with two hook-shaped elements provided on either side of the body part. The closing element can be slid over the press-in tab and be secured with the aid of the hook-shaped elements. Once the can has been opened or just before the can is opened, the closing element can be removed from the press-in tab again by sliding the closing element off the tab.
In some situations, it may be less easy to slide the closing element over the press-in tab. Special equipment is necessary to correctly position the closing element with respect to the pull tab and subsequently to slide it over the pull tab. A further drawback of the fastening of the closing element to the pull tab is the fact that the user has to perform additional operations and, moreover, a substrate is necessary in order to be able to place the can thereon in order to keep the can upright. For example, after transportation, the closing element has to be slid from the pull tab, the can has to be kept upright and the closing element has subsequently to be slid into the drinking or pouring opening. If the opening has to be opened again, the can has to be kept upright again, the closing element has to be pulled out of the opening and subsequently be slid onto the pull tab.
It is an object of the invention to provide a closing element which is easy to fasten to the can.
According to one aspect of the invention, this object is achieved in a closing element for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab for opening the drinking or pouring opening via a press-in tip of the press-in tab, and also a circumferential slot provided in an end wall of the can, the closing element comprising:
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- a covering element which is formed to be able to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening;
- a flexible closing part which is provided on the covering element and rests in the operative position against the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening for closing off the drinking or pouring opening;
- at least one positioning element which protrudes from a tip of the covering element and is embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening.
- a fastening tab which is fastened to or formed on the covering element and is formed to be clamped in the circumferential slot for detachably fastening the covering element to the can.
Fastening the closing element to the slot, which is present in a can as standard, now eliminates the need for exact positioning of the pull tab for attaching the closing element to equipment. Furthermore, the closing element can remain connected to the can via the tab not only in the transportation phase but also in the use phase, so that the closing element can easily be attached in the opening or can be removed therefrom. It is even possible to carry out the opening and closing of the opening using one hand. Furthermore, the risk of the closing element becoming lost and/or the closing element becoming soiled, for example as a result of the closing element falling to the ground, has decreased because the closing element can remain permanently connected to the can.
In one embodiment, the tab is formed to be attached in use along at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, of the circumference of the circumferential slot. This can bring about good securing of the tab in the slot.
According to a further embodiment, the tab is formed to be rotatable in the fastened position about the imaginary longitudinal axis of the can and is configured to be rotated about the covering element between a position opposite the drinking or pouring opening and a position remote from the drinking or pouring opening.
According to another aspect of the invention, a can is provided for containing a beverage or another substance, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab for opening via a press-in tip thereof a drinking or pouring opening provided in an end wall, the can being provided with one or more of the closing elements described in the present document that can be removably attached to the opening.
With reference to
With reference to
The flexible closing part 20 provided at the underside of the covering element 11 has relatively small dimensions, since the outer circumference of the closing part 20 must be substantially equal or must at least be merely less large than the inner circumference of the circumferential edge 40 around the opening 31 in order to allow a well-fitting seal. As is clearly illustrated in
The front tip of the closing element 1, that is to say the tip lying next to the press-in tab 29 during use, has two flat lips or positioning elements 14, 15. In the embodiment shown (cf.
In order to be able to securely grip the closing element 1 in a simple manner, a gripping component 25, the function of which will become clear hereinafter, is provided at the tip opposite the positioning elements 14, 15.
The figures also show that two hook-shaped elements 44, 45 are attached to the inner side of the closing part 20. The hook-shaped elements are shaped in such a way that the entire closing element 1 can be slid over the aforementioned tip 36 of the press-in tab 29 to fasten the closing element to the can. Sliding the closing element back allows it to be removed again just as easily from the press-in tab 29.
The flexible closing element 20 can be formed by forming at the underside of the closing element 11 a non-flexible wall against which flexible material, for example rubber, is attached (to the circumferential outer side thereof). However, in the illustrated embodiment, the entire closing part 20 is made of flexible material. This means that the closing part 20 can to a certain degree be displaced (for example bent) in the radial direction. This benefits the closing properties of the closing part 20 because the closing part is in such cases pressed with more force against the circumferential edge 40 of the end wall.
The sealing properties are further promoted as a result of the fact that a cavity 43 has been formed at the underside of the closing element. This cavity 43 is delimited by the covering element 11 and the closing part 20. If the pressure within the can, and thus within the upright cavity 43 openly connected to the contents of the can, now becomes relatively high, the flexible closing part 20 tends to move radially. This means improved clamping of the flexible closing part 20 against the circumferential edge 40 of the end wall 30 of the can.
In the embodiment shown, the closing part 20 is embodied in such a way that the radial width of the flanges decreases from the top down. This gives the closing part a conical shape, as it were, so that the closing part can easily be attached in a drinking opening 31. The closing element 1 can now be pushed further or less far into the opening, depending on the desired degree of sealing. In the state represented in
In the illustrated embodiment, the angle between the normal to the covering element 11 and the line joining together the tip of the side flanges 47, 48, 49 (angle β) is between 0° (in which the side flanges 47, 49 therefore extend equally far radially) and 45°, preferably between 5 and 30°.
From the state represented in
As previously discussed, the material of the closing part 20 is flexible, so that it allows a defined degree of clamping to be effected between the closing element and the end wall 30 of the can. The material used for the closing part 20 may be rubber or a similar flexible material. Otherwise, the closing element is preferably made of plastics material. Preferably, the closing element is produced from injection-moulded components, so that the element can be produced relatively inexpensively.
Depending on the shape (that is to say the sphericity) of the closing element, the pressing-in of the closing element can also cause the dimensions to increase in directions other than in the longitudinal direction. In a further embodiment, the shape of the sphericity of the closing element is such that the closing element becomes larger in substantially all directions during the outward pressing-in, so that the closing element is pressed on more robustly over the entire circumferential edge 40.
The embodiments in which the closing element is at least partially spherical can be provided with a number of side flanges, such as the side flanges 47-49 of the embodiments described hereinbefore in connection with
A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
The tab 65 has two tab parts which are coupled to the closing element 60 and which extend upwards with respect to the remainder of the tab so that the closing element 60 extends at a level above the level of the remainder of the tab. This form ensures more grip when pressing the closing element 60 onto the can and/or when the closing element is picked up from the can, as will be discussed hereinafter.
After the tab has been fastened to the can, for example by clamping the tab in the slot, the can may be transported to the end user. When the end user wishes to open the can, he creates a drinking opening 31 by pulling on the pull tab 29 in the known manner. When the closing element is now positioned opposite the drinking opening, the closing element can be pressed downwards, without having to detach the tab from the can, and be secured in the opening in order to be able to close off the can. Afterwards, the can may be opened again, the fact that the closing element is connected to the tab 65 fastened to the can preventing the closing element from soon becoming last or from falling to the ground. A further advantage of the use of the tab 65 is the fact that the closing element can be placed more easily directly opposite the drinking opening 31, even when the closing element is positioned obliquely, for example; this makes it easier to close off the drinking opening.
Furthermore, the fastening is preferably such as to allow the fastening tab 65 and the closing element 60 formed thereon to be rotated in the fastened position about the imaginary longitudinal axis of the can. This allows the closing element 60 to be rotated until the closing element 60 is located precisely opposite the pouring or drinking opening 31 so that the closing element can easily be fastened to the can by exerting a downward force thereon, while the closing element 60 can also be rotated away in order to offer the user free access to the opening 31.
Although a notch 12, in which a tip 35 of the pull tab 29 can be placed in the above-described manner in order to keep the closing element pressed into the drinking opening 31, is provided in the illustrated embodiment of the closing element, other embodiments are also possible in which the closing element is not provided with a notch of this type.
A further preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
The first component 71 comprises a plate-shaped unit 75 (which is somewhat wider than the drinking opening 31 in the can so that the plate-shaped unit can cover and thus close off the drinking opening with a certain degree of oversize). A wide drinking opening 78 is formed in the plate-shaped unit 75. The drinking opening 78 is surrounded by an upright wall 87. The upright wall 87 is embodied so as to be relatively thin at the side of the drinking opening 78, whereas the wall 87 comprises a thickening 88 at the side rims and at an opposing side thereof. The outer side of the wall 87 and the thickening 88 pertaining thereto define a circumferential shape substantially corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the aforementioned opening 31 in the beverage can 8. The upright wall 87 is also embodied with a peripheral edge 95 which can be slid during use below the edge 40 around the drinking opening 31 in the end wall 30. This edge 95 is a positioning element with which the first component 71 can be positioned with respect to the opening 31 in the beverage can. The edge forms an anti-release ridge which can come to rest at one or more locations below the edge of the can to counteract detachment of the component 71 from the can.
A second component 72 is fastened to the aforementioned first component 71 so as to be able to swivel with the aid of swivelling elements (hinges) 73, 74. This swivellable component 72 comprises a plate-shaped element which is designed so as to be able to be swivelled on top of the first element 71. A gripping lip 79 is provided at one side to facilitate back-and-forth swivelling. At a position corresponding to the aforementioned drinking opening 78 with the upright wall 87 attached therearound, a closing protrusion, formed by an upright wall 97 for example, is attached to the plate-shaped element 72. In this case, the upright wall 97 has dimensions such that the outer circumference thereof is just slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the opening 78 so that the upright wall 97 can be slid into the opening 78 in a clamping manner. The upright wall 97 functions in this case as a fastening element for fastening the second element 72 to the first element 71. A number of intermediate walls 88, 89, 90, which extend within the fastening element, are provided to provide the fastening element with an appropriate degree of rigidity. A peripheral edge 98 is attached in the side of the upright wall 97, along the outer circumference thereof. The distance between the edge 98 and the plate-shaped element is selected in such a way as to be just slightly greater than the height of the upright wall 87 in the first component 71. If the second component is swivelled with respect to the first component in such a way that the upright wall 97 is slid into the opening 78, the edge 98 can be slid through sufficiently far to allow the edge to come to rest after the upper side of the upright wall 85 of the first component 71. In this position, such as is illustrated for example in
The upper surface of the clamping element 80 is attached at an angle (α,
The embodiments of the invention illustrated in
It will be clear that various components of the various embodiments are mutually exchangeable. Thus, for example, it is possible, by analogy with the embodiment illustrated in
In still other embodiments (not shown in the figures), the closing element is wholly or partially integrated with the can. In specific embodiments, at least a first closing component is for example formed during manufacture of the can itself. The metal part of the end wall of the can, which in the aforementioned embodiments is bent inwards by the press-in tab, may be omitted in these embodiments. The tear line and the press-in tab are also no longer necessary in these embodiments.
The present invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiment thereof described in the present document. On the contrary, the rights applied for are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which a broad range of adaptations and modifications are conceivable.
Claims
1-28. (canceled)
29. Closing element (1;60;70) for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can (8), wherein the can comprises a press-in tab (29) for opening the drinking or pouring opening (31) via a press-in tip (35) of the press-in tab, the closing element (1;60;70) comprising:
- a covering element (11)to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening (31);
- a flexible closing part (20) which is provided on the covering element and rests in the operative position against the circumferential edge (40) of the drinking or pouring opening for closing off the drinking or pouring opening;
- a clamping element (80) which is provided at the upper side of the covering element and is configured to place the press-in tip (35) of the press-in tab (29) thereon for securing the covering element (11) with the closing part (20) to the circumferential edge (40) in the operative position.
30. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the covering element comprises a first closing component (71) which is stationary and can be fastened to the edge of the drinking opening of the can and a second closing component (72) which can be swiveled up and down with respect to the first closing component (71) in order to respectively open and close the drinking opening (31).
31. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the covering element comprises:
- a first closing component (71) provided with the aforementioned flexible closing part (20) for clamping the closing component against the drinking or pouring opening and also with a beverage opening (78) which can be positioned in front of the drinking or pouring opening (78);
- a second closing component (72) provided with a closing protrusion which can be slid into the beverage opening;
- at least one swiveling element (73,74) between the first and second closing components (71,72) so as to be able to swivel the second closing component (72) with respect to the first closing component (71) between a closed position, in which the closing protrusion (97) is slid into the beverage opening and closes off the beverage opening, and an opened position, in which the closing protrusion leaves the beverage opening substantially clear.
32. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the clamping element (80) has a face which extends in the operative position at an angle (α) with respect to an end-wall (30) of the can and against which the press-in tip of the press-in tab can be placed.
33. Closing element according to claim 32, wherein the angle (α) is between 10 and 40 degrees, preferably 20 degrees.
34. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein a positioning element is provided on the flexible closing part.
35. Closing element according to claim 29, comprising at least one positioning element (14,15) which protrudes from a tip of the covering element (11) and is embodied to rest in the operative position below the aforementioned circumferential edge for positioning the covering element with respect to the drinking or pouring opening.
36. Closing element according to claim 35, wherein the positioning element (14,15) comprises a ridge extending in the operative position at least partially along the edge of the drinking or pouring opening.
37. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the clamping element is formed by a notch (12) in the covering element.
38. Closing element according to claim 37, wherein the notch (12) is provided with an upright edge (13) which is embodied to place the press-in tip of the press-in tab thereafter.
39. Closing element according to claim 38, wherein the edge (13) extends obliquely with respect to the covering element.
40. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the flexible closing part comprises various side flanges (47,48,49) arranged one below another.
41. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the flexible closing part (20) extends downwards from the covering element and forms an open cavity (43) and wherein the flexible closing part (20) is embodied so as to be sufficiently flexible that it is pressed laterally outwards when a build-up of pressure takes place in the cavity, for example as a consequence of a carbonated liquid in the can.
42. Closing element according to claim 29, comprising a gripping part (25) with which the covering element can be gripped by hand.
43. Closing element according to claim 29, comprising hook elements (44,45) provided on either side of the covering element (11) for fastening the covering element to the press-in tab.
44. Closing element according to claim 35, wherein the positioning element is embodied to keep the aforementioned tip of the covering element, and wherein the clamping element is formed by a notch (12) in the covering element and to keep a different part of the covering element, pressed into the drinking or pouring opening.
45. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the outer circumference of the flexible closing part (20) has a conical shape.
46. Closing element according to claim 29, wherein the closing part comprises a circumferential element comprising a vertical part (55) and a horizontal part (54), the vertical and horizontal parts of the circumferential element lying in the operative position against respectively the side and the top of the circumferential edge for closing off the drinking or pouring opening.
47. Closing element for temporarily closing off a drinking or pouring opening of a can, preferably a closing element as defined in one of the preceding claims, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab (29) for opening the drinking or pouring opening (31) via a press-in tip (35) of the press-in tab, and also a circumferential slot provided in an end wall of the can, the closing element comprising:
- a covering element (11)to completely cover the drinking or pouring opening;
- a flexible closing part (20) which is provided on the covering element and rests in the operative position against the circumferential edge of the drinking or pouring opening for closing off the drinking or pouring opening;
- a ring shaped fastening tab (65) which is fastened to or formed on the covering element and to be clamped in the circumferential slot (68) for detachably fastening the covering element to the can (8).
48. Closing element according to claim 47, wherein the tab (65) is formed to be attached along at least 50%, preferably at least 70%, of the circumference of the circumferential slot.
49. Closing element according to claim 47, wherein the tab (65) and the closing element (60) formed thereon is formed to be rotatable in the fastened position about the imaginary longitudinal axis of the can and is configured to be rotated about the imaginary axis between a position opposite the drinking or pouring opening and a position remote from the drinking or pouring opening (31).
50. Can for containing a beverage or another substance, wherein the can comprises a press-in tab (29) for opening via a press-in tip (35) thereof a drinking or pouring opening (31) provided in an end wall, the can being provided with a closing element (1) according to one claim 29 that can be removably attached to the opening.
51. Can according to claim 50, wherein the press-in tab (29) comprises a pin (33) with which the tab is attached to the end wall of the can.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 22, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 8, 2012
Applicant: SAVE-TY CAN CAP B.V. (Galder)
Inventor: Corstiaan Johannes Van Goolen (Hoogblokland)
Application Number: 13/265,622
International Classification: B65D 39/00 (20060101);