U.S. patent application number 10/028021 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-29 for beverage can having a covering for a dispensing opening.
Invention is credited to Hur, Kyung D..
Application Number | 20020117499 10/028021 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19705259 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020117499 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hur, Kyung D. |
August 29, 2002 |
Beverage can having a covering for a dispensing opening
Abstract
A beverage can is provided with an opening tab rotatably
attached to a rotational shaft formed on a can end, and a covering
rotatably attached to the rotational shaft, being positioned
beneath the opening tab, and adapted to be rotated together with
the opening tab, the covering has a size larger than that of a
dispensing opening through which contents of the beverage can are
dispensed and an upwardly convex shape allowing the covering to be
closely contacted to the can end during its rotational
movement.
Inventors: |
Hur, Kyung D.; (Goyang-City,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN K. PARK
Park & Sutton LLP
3255 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles
CA
90010
US
|
Family ID: |
19705259 |
Appl. No.: |
10/028021 |
Filed: |
December 28, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/254.4 ;
220/258.3; 220/821 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 17/4012 20180101;
B65D 2517/0025 20130101; B65D 2517/0014 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/254.4 ;
220/258.3; 220/821 |
International
Class: |
B65D 043/18; B65D
051/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 26, 2001 |
KR |
20-2001-0005073 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A beverage can comprising: an opening tab rotatably attached to
a rotational shaft formed on a can end; and a covering rotatably
attached to the rotational shaft, being positioned beneath the
opening tab, and adapted to be rotated together with said opening
tab, the covering has a size larger than that of a dispensing
opening through which contents of the beverage can are dispensed
and an upwardly convex shape allowing the covering to be closely
contacted to the can end during its rotational movement.
2. The beverage can of claim 1, wherein the covering is made of
thin aluminum plate.
3. The beverage can of claim 2, wherein the thin aluminum plate has
a thickness of 0.34 mm and its margin larger than that of the
dispensing opening by 1 mm.
Description
CLAIMING FOREIGN PRIORITY
[0001] The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority,
through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry
Property, based on a patent application filed in the Republic of
Korea (South Korea) with the filing date of Feb. 26, 2001, with the
utility model application number 2001-0005073, by the applicant.
(See the Attached Declaration)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] (a) Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a beverage can made of,
e.g., aluminum, and more particularly, to a covering for a
dispensing opening of a beverage can, through which contents of the
beverage can are dispensed, capable of preventing alien material
from being introduced into the beverage can through the dispensing
opening and of preventing the contents from being inadvertently
poured out of the beverage can due to abrupt movements of the can
or shocks, by blocking the dispensing opening.
[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0005] In FIG. 1A, there is shown a prior art aluminum beverage can
1. The aluminum beverage can 1 is provided with an opening tab 2
for opening a dispensing opening 3 through which contents of the
beverage can is dispensed. As shown in FIG. 1B, the dispensing
opening 3 is opened by a pressing force exerted by the opening tab
2.
[0006] In using conventional aluminum cans 1, a consumer or user
normally has a burden that, once a dispensing opening has been
opened, contents of the beverage can have to be consumed as soon as
possible. That is, when the consumer tries to enjoy the contents,
e.g., a second time after he has left the beverage can alone for a
little bit long period of time, he usually thinks if alien material
such as dirt, sand, a fly, an insect, a bug, etc., is introduced
into the beverage can. Actually, there are many cases that the fly
or the bug enters the beverage can in fields or alien material
including the sand or the like is introduced into the can in beach.
Further, if the beverage can held in a hand of the consumer or kept
on a surface of a fixed article can be inadvertently fallen, due to
abrupt movements or shock caused by a person next to the consumer
of the beverage can, e.g., in the room or train, the contents are
poured out of the beverage can. For these reasons, it is helpful in
sanitarily using the beverage can if the dispensing opening of the
beverage can is covered with a cover or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
beverage can having a covering made of thin aluminum plate capable
of covering a dispensing opening of the beverage can, which has a
size larger than that of the dispensing opening and an upwardly
convex shape allowing the covering to be closely contacted to an
can end during its rotational movement. The covering can be rotated
together with a tab for opening the dispensing opening of the
beverage can when the consumer rotates the tab on a plane of the
can end, thereby opening the dispensing opening to allow the
consumer to enjoy the contents and closing the same to protect the
contamination of the contents. To achieve the above and other
objects, the present invention provides a beverage can comprising:
an opening tab rotatably attached to a rotational shaft formed on a
can end; and a covering rotatably attached to the rotational shaft,
being positioned beneath the opening tab, and adapted to be rotated
together with said opening tab, the covering has a size larger than
that of a dispensing opening through which contents of the beverage
can are dispensed and an upwardly convex shape allowing the
covering to be closely contacted to the can end during its
rotational movement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of
the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain
the principles of the invention:
[0009] FIGS. 1A and 1B show top planar views of a prior art
aluminum beverage can, respectively;
[0010] FIGS. 2A, 2C and 2D depict top planar views of components of
the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2B illustrates a frontal elevational view of an
inventive covering;
[0012] FIG. 3A presents a top planar view of the inventive covering
attached beneath an opening tab of the beverage can;
[0013] FIGS. 3B through 3D represent top planar views of the
inventive covering and the opening tab showing a position
relationship therebetween;
[0014] FIG. 4 gives a top planar view of the inventive covering
being rotated together with the opening tab to open a dispensing
opening; and
[0015] FIG. 5 gives a top planar view of the inventive covering
being rotated together with the opening tab to close the dispensing
opening.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] A preferred embodiment of a covering for a dispensing
opening of the beverage can in accordance with one embodiment of
the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0017] The covering 10 for covering a dispensing opening 35 of the
beverage can 100 serves to close the dispensing opening 35 that has
been already opened or torn off. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the
covering 10 is made of thin aluminum plate and has a size larger
than that of the dispensing opening 35 that will be made when a
tearing panel 35 is torn off. It is preferable that the thin
aluminum plate has a thickness of 0.34 mm and a margin larger than
that of the dispensing opening 35 by 1 mm. The reason why the
covering 10 is made of aluminum is that the beverage can 100 is
made of aluminum that can be re-cycled. Further, the covering 10
has an upwardly convex shape allowing the covering 10 to be closely
contacted to a can end 30 during its rotational movement. The
covering 10 also has a rivet hole 11. The covering 10 is rotatably
attached beneath an opening tab 40 to a rotational shaft or a rivet
20 on the can end 30 of the beverage can 100. Accordingly, the
opening tab 40 and the covering 10 can be rotated together about
the rivet 20. A conventional opening tab as shown in FIG. 2D may be
used as such opening tab 40.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2C, in order for the covering 10 to rotate
properly, the can end 30 in accordance with the present invention
has an enlarged sunken surface area B in stead of a conventional
narrow sunken surface area A. The sunken surface area on the can
end 30 may be different in size and shape depending upon a model or
a manufacturer. Therefore, a proper size and shape of the sunken
surface area has to be selected by taking a radius of the
rotational movement of the covering into consideration.
[0019] In FIG. 3A, there is shown the covering 10 and the opening
tab 40 rotatably attached to the can end 30, while the covering 10
being positioned beneath the opening tab 40. As shown in FIGS. 3B
through 3D, the rivet hole 11 of the covering 10 and a rivet hole
of the opening tab 40 may be aligned with each other above the can
end 30 for the riveting process. At the moment, the covering 10 is
positioned beneath the opening tab 40.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the covering 10 and the opening tab 40
mounted in this manner can be rotated together on the can end 10,
while the covering 10 being closely contacted to the sunken surface
area B of the can end 30.
[0021] The operation of the inventive covering 10 will be explained
with reference to FIGS. 3A, 4 and 5.
[0022] First, in order to make a dispensing opening 35, the
consumer pulls up the opening tab 40 by keeping his finger into an
insertion slot 42 of the opening tab 40 in a state shown in FIG.
3A. An end of the opening tab 40 is depressed down, make the
dispensing opening 35 and the consumer can enjoy contents of the
beverage can 100.
[0023] When the consumer wants to close the dispensing opening 35
under a situation where the contents are not fully consumed, he can
close the dispensing opening 35 by rotating the opening tab 40.
That is, when the consumer rotates the opening tab 40 by
180.degree. from its initial position, the covering 10 is also
rotated by 180.degree., fully closing the dispensing opening 35, as
shown in FIG. 5, through a condition shown in FIG. 4.
[0024] The inventive covering may be applied to various beverage
cans having different use, size and shape.
[0025] While this invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *