U.S. patent application number 10/677371 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-12 for beverage can.
Invention is credited to Schwoebel, Eckhard.
Application Number | 20050098561 10/677371 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31896469 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050098561 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwoebel, Eckhard |
May 12, 2005 |
Beverage can
Abstract
A common beverage can (10) is provided with a drinking cap (20)
that may be set onto the can collar (13). The drinking cap (20) is
made of plastics material and provides a drinking opening (24) to
which a user may put his lips without these touching the can
opening.
Inventors: |
Schwoebel, Eckhard; (Luzern,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Vincent L. Ramik
DILLER, RAMIK & WIGHT
Suite 101
7345 McWhorter Place
Annandale
VA
22003
US
|
Family ID: |
31896469 |
Appl. No.: |
10/677371 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/258.1 ;
220/521; 220/906 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 17/4012 20180101;
B65D 2517/0049 20130101; B65D 2517/0098 20130101; B65D 81/32
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/258.1 ;
220/521; 220/906 |
International
Class: |
B65D 051/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 4, 2002 |
DE |
202 15 265.0 |
Claims
1. A beverage can with an upper can collar (13) surrounding a can
opening closed by a closing member (16), characterized by a
drinking cap (20) to be claimed onto the can collar (13) and having
a drinking opening (24).
2. The beverage can of claim 1, wherein the drinking cap (20)
includes an additional chamber (30).
3. The beverage can of claim 2, wherein the additional container
(30) is set into the drinking opening (24) of the drinking cap (20)
in a clamping manner, filling the drinking opening.
4. The beverage can of claim 2, wherein the additional container
(30) has a tear-open cover wall (34).
5. The beverage can of claim 2, wherein the additional container
(30) has a flange-like rim (33) extending laterally beyond the edge
of the drinking opening (24) of the drinking cap (20).
6. The beverage can of claim 1, wherein the drinking cap (20)
comprises a funnel (25) to be supported on the top wall (14) of the
beverage can, the funnel guiding liquid from the can opening to the
drinking opening (24).
7. The beverage can of claim 6, wherein the funnel (25) has a
funnel opening (26) at the lower end that contacts the can opening
with form fit.
8. The beverage can of claim 6, wherein the funnel opening (26) is
narrower than the can opening.
9. The beverage can of claim 1, wherein the drinking cap (20) has a
circumferential wall (21) with an inner bead (22) snapping behind
the can collar (13).
10. The beverage can of claim 3, wherein the additional container
(30) has a tear-open cover wall (34).
11. The beverage can of claim 7, wherein the funnel opening (26) is
narrower than the can opening.
Description
[0001] The invention refers to a beverage can with an upper can
bead surrounding a can opening closed by a closing member, and in
particular to a beverage can as commonly used for beer, lemonade
and similar beverages.
[0002] Conventional beverage cans containing non-alcoholic
beverages or beer consist of containers made from deep-drawn
aluminium or tin plate. A tear-out closing member is provided in
the top wall, which is connected with the remainder of the top wall
along a rated breaking line. The top wall is fixed to the container
by an upright can collar formed as a flange. In order to open the
beverage can, a handle connected with the tear-out closing member
is pushed up and then pulled, whereby the closing member is torn
off along a rated breaking line so as to clear the can opening.
With beverage cans, one generally drinks directly from the can,
i.e. without first pouring the contents of the can into a glass.
When drinking directly from the can, the upper lip touches the edge
of the can opening. Here, contaminants may reach the upper lip and
cause infections. The edge of the can opening being sharp, injuries
to the upper lip may also occur. All in all, drinking from such a
beverage can is uncouth and sometimes even dangerous.
[0003] From German Utility Model 201 16 724, a beverage can is
known where the can collar that surrounds the top wall is projected
upward thereby making it unnecessary to press the lips against the
edge of the opening. This requires designing and manufacturing
special beverage cans with upward projecting can collars. The can
collar impedes access to the handle of the closing member. Such
beverage cans require more space, especially when stacked, stored
or transported.
[0004] It is the object of the invention to provide a beverage can
wherein drinking from the can is facilitated without having to
restructure the can.
[0005] The object is solved according to the invention with the
features of claim 1. Accordingly, a drinking cap is provided for
being clamped onto the can collar, thus being removably attached to
the beverage can. The drinking cap is a separate part that is set
on the beverage can if needed or before use of the can. The
drinking cap may be made from a material different from that of the
can. In particular, it is advantageous to make the drinking cap
from a plastics material while the can is made of tin plate.
Producing the drinking cap from plastics material is advantageous
in that the drinking cap can be made in a simple manner and in a
single-step production process and in that a plastics material may
be chosen that is not too hard and feels comfortable when touched
with the lips. Thus, the drinking cap forms a sort of a cup clamped
on the can and having an opening in its bottom wall that is in
communication with the can opening. The drinking cap may either be
provided sitting on the can or as a separate accessory. Thus, it is
possible for a user to carry his own drinking cap and to use It
with several cans. Further, it is possible for a plurality of
people drinking from a common can to use their own drinking cap,
respectively.
[0006] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is
provided that the drinking cap includes an additional container.
The additional container may contain pastries, for example, such as
salt sticks, miniature pretzels or the like. In this case, a
customer will not only receive the drinking cap when buying a
beverage can, but also an amount of an addition going well with the
respective beverage. Preferably, the additional container is
clamped into the drinking opening of the drinking cap, filling the
same. It may be pulled from the drinking cap in a simple manner and
be opened subsequently. The additional container may have a
tear-open cover wall, similar to those of jam packages. The
additional container particularly consists of a deep-drawn foil.
This may have a flange-like edge, as is conventional. When
inserting the additional container Into the drinking cap, the edge
abuts the drinking opening beyond which it extends laterally. By
engaging the edge of the additional container the same may be
pulled from the drinking cap.
[0007] According to a preferred embodiment of the Invention, the
drinking cap comprises a funnel supported on the top wall of the
beverage can, which guides liquid from the can opening to the
drinking opening, The funnel prevents liquid accumulation on that
part of the can top wall that surrounds the can opening, which
liquid does not drain off due to the can collar. The can cap thus
prevents the spilling of residual liquid and the accompanying
soiling.
[0008] Suitably, the funnel opening at the lower end of the funnel
is shaped and sized such that it substantially corresponds to the
can opening. However, the funnel opening should be slightly
narrower than the can opening to prevent any liquid accumulation.
In this case, the funnel is supported on the top wall by the funnel
opening pressing against the can opening.
[0009] The drinking cap may have a circumferential wall with an
inner bead snapping behind the can collar. Thus, a fixed snapped-on
seat of the drinking cap on the beverage can is made possible.
[0010] The following is a detailed description of an embodiment of
the invention with reference to the drawings:
[0011] In the Figures:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a beverage can
with a drinking cap and an additional container,
[0013] FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the drinking cap with the
additional container therein, sitting on the beverage can,
[0014] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the beverage can
with drinking cap and additional container, and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a section along line IV-IV in FIG. 3.
[0016] The drawings illustrate a conventional beverage can 10. It
consists of a can container 10 of aluminium sheet or tin plate. In
the upper portion, the can container 11 has a taper 12 terminating
In a circular can collar 13. The can collar 13 is a flanged rim
connecting the top wall 14 with the circumferential wall of the can
container 11. The can collar 13 is bent outward.
[0017] In the top wall 14, a tear line 15 defines the closing
member 16. The closing member 16 is connected with a handle 17
having a handle opening. By pulling the handle 17 up, the closing
member 16 can be tom from the top wall 14 to clear the can opening.
The can collar 13 projects upward beyond the bulging top wall
14.
[0018] According to the invention, a drinking cap 20 is provided
that is clamped on the beverage can 10. The drinking cap 20 is a
unitary part of plastics material. It has a cylindrical
circumferential wall 21 with an inner bead 22 at the lower end and
a small outer bead 23 at the top end, which surrounds a drinking
opening 24.
[0019] Inside the drinking cap there is a funnel 25 integrally
connected with the lower portion of the circumferential wall 21,
narrowing downward and ending in a lower funnel opening 26. The
funnel opening is almost congruent with the can opening. It presses
against the can opening, thereby connecting the can opening with
the funnel 25.
[0020] The drinking cap 20 is made as a single piece from a rigid,
yet not hard plastics material. The lower portion of the
circumferential wall 21 surrounds the can collar 13 which thus
projects into the triangular space between the funnel 25 and the
lower portion of the circumferential wall 21. The drinking cap 20
is set onto the can collar 13 and pressed down, the circumferential
wall 21 elastically deforming in the lower portion until the inner
bead 22 catches behind the can collar 13 as illustrated in FIG. 3.
The drinking cap is now immovably connected with the beverage can
10. Now, with the additional container 30 removed, the closing
member 16 can be pulled out by pulling at the handle 17 previously
bent up (FIG. 3). Setting the drinking opening 24 to the mouth, the
user may drink from the can.
[0021] Alternatively, It is also possible to tear off the closing
member before setting the drinking cap on the can.
[0022] The additional container 30 consists of a deep-drawn foil.
It has a cup portion 31 forming a bottom 32 and a protruding
flange-like rim 33 at the opposite end. The rim 33 is supported at
the edge of the drinking opening 24, whereas the sup portion 31 is
situated inside the drinking cap 20 the additional container 30 is
sealed air-tight with a tear-off cover foil 34. Its interior 35
serves to receive pastries that may be eaten while drinking the
contents of the can.
[0023] The upper end of the circumferential wall of the additional
container 30 is provided with an enlargement 36 that clampingly
fits into the drinking opening 24 to obtain a clamped fit of the
additional container in the drinking cap. By gripping the rim 33,
the additional container 30 can be pulled from the drinking
cap.
[0024] Besides serving as a container, the additional container 30
also has the effect of protecting the interior of the drinking cap
20 and the drinking opening 24 against contamination.
* * * * *