U.S. patent application number 12/069272 was filed with the patent office on 2009-08-13 for can with bottom venting structure.
Invention is credited to Michael Stude.
Application Number | 20090200305 12/069272 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40938022 |
Filed Date | 2009-08-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090200305 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stude; Michael |
August 13, 2009 |
Can with bottom venting structure
Abstract
A can having a generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at
one end and a bottom cover at the other end, said top cover being
openable and said bottom cover having a pull-out tab for creating a
vent hole for venting the can to the atmosphere. A pull tab can be
fixed to the top cover for pulling the top cover away from the
can.
Inventors: |
Stude; Michael; (Lake
Forest, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PYLE & PIONTEK, LLC
221 N LASALLE STREET , ROOM 1207
CHICAGO
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
40938022 |
Appl. No.: |
12/069272 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/270 ;
220/600 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 17/4011 20180101;
B65D 2231/027 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/270 ;
220/600 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/00 20060101
B65D025/00; B65D 8/00 20060101 B65D008/00; B65D 17/40 20060101
B65D017/40; B65D 17/347 20060101 B65D017/347; B65D 17/34 20060101
B65D017/34; B65D 17/28 20060101 B65D017/28 |
Claims
1. A can having a generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at
one end and a bottom cover at the other end, said top cover being
openable and said bottom cover having a pull-out tab for creating a
vent hole for venting the can to the atmosphere.
2. The can of claim 1, wherein said vent hole is generally bean
shaped.
3. The can of claim 1, wherein said vent hole is generally oval in
shape.
4. The can of claim 1, wherein the vent hole is a small generally
circular hole.
5. The can of claim 1, wherein said top cover has a score line
adjacent an edge of the can and a pull tab fixed to the tab for
pulling the top cover away from the can.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to containers, namely, cans
for foodstuffs, which have a bottom venting structure so that any
jelled product in the can, can easily slide out of a can once the
top of the can is removed and the venting structure at the bottom
of a can is opened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] Present day cans of a jelled or a thick material has to be
scooped out of the can with a spoon once the top of the can is
opened. Such materials include soups, such as mushroom soup and
tomato soup, jelled material such as jellied cranberries and other
semi-liquid products. Because of the thick nature of the product in
the can, the can is often shook or pounded to remove the contents
and often a spoon must be used to remove some of the contents in
the can from the can.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is directed to a can having a
generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at one end and a
bottom cover at the other end with the top cover being openable
with a can opener or having a pull-out top to open the can and with
the bottom cover having structure, such as a pull-out tab, for
creating an opening in the bottom cover for venting the can to the
atmosphere.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can constructed according
to the teachings of the present invention viewing same from a
bottom corner thereof and showing a venting structure for venting a
bottom cover of the can;
[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the can shown in FIG. 1 and
is taken from a top corner thereof and shows a pull-tab structure
for pulling a top cover of the can off of the can for opening
same;
[0006] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top cover of the can;
[0007] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bottom cover of the can,
shown in FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of another bottom cover for a
can with a tab for opening a smaller vent hole in the bottom cover
of the can;
[0009] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the can viewing the same
turned upside down with the bottom cover shown with the pull-tab
pulled off to open a vent hole in the bottom cover for venting the
can and showing a gelatine type food products, such as tomato soup
or jellied cranberries, flowing out of the bottom of a can.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is
illustrated in FIG. 1, a bottom perspective view of a can 10
comprising a generally cylindrical wall or body 12, which is
conventional in the art and showing a bottom cover 14 for the can
10 with a venting structure 16 mounted thereon. The venting
structure 16 is in the form of a pull-tab 18 fixed in the bottom
cover 14 to enable a generally bean or oval shaped blank 20 defined
by a score line 22 to be pulled out of the bottom cover 14 to
create a vent hole 24.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the can 10 shown in FIG.
1 and shows a top cover 26 having a pull-tab 28 fixed thereon,
whereby the pull-tab 28 can be pulled to pull the top cover 26
defined by a circular score line 30 from the can 10. The top cover
26 has the circular score line 30 adjacent an outer edge 32 of the
can 10 to facilitate pulling of the top cover 26 from the can
10.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top cover of the can 10 and
shows the score line 30.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bottom cover 14 of the
can 10 and shows the pull-tab 18 and the blank 20 defined by the
score line 22.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified bottom cover 34 for
the can 10 which includes a slightly different venting structure
36. Here the pull-tab 18 is connected to a smaller blank 38, which
is defined by a circular score line 40 to form a venting structure
36 which creates a smaller and circular hole 44 when the blank 40
is pulled out.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the can 10 shown in FIG. 5
but with the pull-tab 18 pulled away to pull out the blank 40 to
create the vent hole 44 for allowing the atmosphere to enter the
can 10 and relieve any suction force that would be created once the
gel like material 50, starts coming out of the can 10. The vent
hole 44, which allows air into the can 10 and breaks the suction,
prevents this from happening.
[0016] It will be understood that the vent hole 24 or 44, in the
bottom cover 14 or 34 of the can 10 enables the gel like material
50 in the can 10, such as tomato soup or jellied cranberries, to
fall easily out of the can 10, often without the need for using a
spoon to remove the jelled like material from the can 10.
[0017] From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the
venting structure 16 or 36 and vent hole 24 or 44 formed therewith
of the present invention has a number of advantages, some of which
have been described above and others of which are inherent in the
invention.
[0018] Also from the foregoing description it will be apparent that
modifications can be made to the venting structure 16 or 36 without
departing from the teachings of the invention.
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