U.S. patent application number 12/931730 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-09 for lid for a beverage can.
Invention is credited to Gregory Randall Shamalta.
Application Number | 20120199586 12/931730 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46599963 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120199586 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shamalta; Gregory Randall |
August 9, 2012 |
Lid for a beverage can
Abstract
An Improved Beverage Can Lid comprises a pressure relief
orifice, and a beverage orifice. The tab can be turned around about
180.degree. in order to open the pressure relief orifice. The
Improved Beverage Can Lid is affixed to the top of the beverage can
body.
Inventors: |
Shamalta; Gregory Randall;
(Valencia, CA) |
Family ID: |
46599963 |
Appl. No.: |
12/931730 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/269 ;
220/271 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 17/4012 20180101;
B65D 2517/0014 20130101; B65D 2517/0094 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/269 ;
220/271 |
International
Class: |
B65D 17/34 20060101
B65D017/34; B65D 17/32 20060101 B65D017/32 |
Claims
1. An Improved lid for a beverage can comprising: a pressure
release orifice, a beverage orifice, and an enlarged rivet; the
pressure relief orifice is comprised of a scoring; the enlarged
rivet is positioned such that it is disposed near the pressure
relief orifice and the beverage orifice.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is in the area of beverage cans, and
more particularly pertains to an improved beverage can lid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In modern days, one of the impediments to drinking various
beverages from aluminum cans is air pressure. The flow of beverage
from an aluminum can is slowed and restricted in part because there
is no auxiliary entry point for surrounding air outside of the can
to enter into the can when the contents are being extracted (ie
drinking directly from the can). When the extraction orifice is in
use the user's mouth will additionally create a barrier and prevent
ambient air from entering into the can. In other words, the only
way surrounding air can enter into the beverage can is from the
same orifice from which the fluids pour.
[0003] Since the early 1900is when beverage cans were first put in
use, cans were designed with two openings. One opening was used to
extract the content in the can while the other opening was used to
allow sufficient air exchange so the contents of the can flow
freely and unrestricted. In time beverage cans have lost the
ability of this second opening which has made drinking or pouring
from these cans restricted and agitated. Modern day standard
stay-on-tab can lids are generally made up of one scored circular
or oval (iwide mouthi) section (extraction orifice) with a fulcrum
type lifting tab that is attached by a 3 mm rivet.
[0004] In order to increase the flow of beverages out of aluminum
cans (or similar containers), some people have used screwdrivers,
or other devices to puncture a hole into a can. This puncture acts
as a pressure relief valve which allows various gases and air to
exit and enter the can from both the puncture hole as well as the
typical hole through which the beverage flows into a person's mouth
or into a container such as a glass or a stein.
[0005] Unfortunately, the use of screwdrivers or knives can be
clumsy, awkward, and dangerous in the use of creating a pressure
relief orifice. One of the problems with this method is that
residual moisture on the outer surface of a can render the can
slippery. And a sharp metal object can easily glance off the
surface and potentially cause a serious cut to one's hand.
[0006] Therefore, what is clearly needed in the art is an apparatus
which safely and effectively facilitates an improved fluid and gas
exchange into and out of the beverage can.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide simple
and cost effective improvement for a beverage can lid to enhance
the flow of the contents of a stay-on-tab can lid. This is achieved
through a second pressure relief orifice which is diametrically
opposed from the typical beverage orifice on the beverage can lid.
The stay-on-tab which is enhanced by a multiple purpose enlarged
rivet is used to open both orifices simply by rotating the tab
approximately 180* and pulling up.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0008] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side-elevation view of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, an improved beverage can lid is used to facilitate an
improved fluid and gas exchange into and out from a beverage can.
The present invention is described in enabling detail below.
[0016] For the purposes of the present invention, the term
"scoring" shall mean a perforation into the aluminum or other
material in order to facilitate a smooth puncturing or opening of
an orifice. For the purposes of the present invention, the term
"rivet" shall refer to a circular member for use in affixing the
tab of a can to the can itself. The rivet enables the tab to rotate
about an axis near the center of the can lid.
[0017] The present invention implements a standard stay-on-tab can
lid for use with all size beverage can lids. It is improved by
adding a scored section in the rear of the can lid to make a second
orifice for pressure relief or air access. The second orifice is
opened with the same fulcrum-style tab used for opening the
extraction orifice in the front of the can lid. The tab is
unrestricted to a 360* rotation. As such, the user has the option
to open either the extraction orifice, the pressure relief orifice,
or both of them at the same time for best usage. The pressure
relief orifice is similar to the extraction orifice in design just
located diametrically opposed on the beverage can lid. Ideally, the
pressure relief scored section would be any version of a rounded
shape that would be large enough for a can tab to open.
[0018] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. An Improved Beverage Can Lid 100 comprises a pressure
relief orifice 101, and a beverage orifice 102. As illustrated in
FIGS. 2-3, the tab 103 can be turned around about 180.degree. in
order to open the pressure relief orifice 101. The rivet 155 is
enlarged and positioned in the center such that the edges of the
rivet 155 can open the pressure relief orifice 101 and the beverage
orifice 102 by puncturing the first scoring 106 and the second
scoring 107 respectively. The Improved Beverage Can Lid 100 is
affixed to the top of the beverage can body 105.
[0019] The beverage can lid orifices are made from two different
scored sections, the pressure relief orifices scoring 106 and
extraction orifice scoring 107. These scorings are used to weaken
the beverage can lid so the opening tab 103 can be rotated into
position to puncture and open each scoring respectively. The
enlarged rivet 155 is positioned in the center such that the
opening tab 103 can be rotated to open the pressure relief orifice
101 an the extraction orifice 102. FIG. 2 illustrates how a user
can rotate the stay-on-tab 180* to engage each of the two orifices
separately.
[0020] It should be noted here that in some preferred embodiments,
the tab 103 may have to be placed in a location in which the tab
may be positioned such that it may be able to puncture and open
both orifices. As such, the location of the tab 103, as well as its
location will also depend in part upon the size, shape, and
dimensions of the tab itself.
[0021] The tab is based of a standard beverage can stay-on-tab
class 1 lever opener with modifications made to accommodate the
larger rivet size. The Stay-on-tabs fulcrum point being the
attachment spot to the rivet nearest the load side. The effort side
(or handle) is the longer side of the tab which the operator uses
to lift up and apply extreme pressure to the load side (or opener)
which is the shorter side used to puncture and then push open the
score sections in the can lid.
[0022] To open an orifice, the operator rotates the opener end of
the tab in the direction of the orifice they would like to open
then pulls up on the handle side. Once this is done and the orifice
has been opened the operator then presses the tab back down on the
handle side to the starting position. Then if the operator chooses
to open the second orifice they simply rotate the tab roughly 180*
and duplicate the process.
[0023] FIG. 6 illustrates that in some preferred embodiments, the
pressure relief orifice 101 can be made from a first scoring 106,
and a second scoring 107. This scoring is essentially a perforation
made into the aluminum or other material of the lid in order to
enable the tab to puncture and open the pressure relief orifice
101. It should be noted that in FIGS. 5-6 the tab 103 has been
removed for illustrative purposes in order to illustrate the
scorings.
[0024] The rivet 155 is enlarged and positioned such that one end
is positioned over the bottom of the first score 175 and the top of
the second score 185. This positioning enables to tab to be rotated
in such a manner such that the tab can puncture and open both
orifices.
[0025] An enlarged rivet is used to create a greater axis of
rotation for the tab. In turn, the resulting design of the dual
orifice is realistically functional due in fact to the fulcrum
style opener of the stay-on-tab which opens each orifice at the
point nearest the rivet first, then outward from there.
Consequently, by increasing the rivet size the distance of
separation between the extraction orifice and the pressure relief
orifice is subsequently increased.
[0026] The enlarged rivet greatly reduces spillage and allows an
unrestricted flow of air into the can through the pressure relief
orifice when the contents of the beverage can is being extracted
out through the extraction orifice in the lid. The enlarged rivet
greatly strengthens the design of the fulcrum-style opener by
allowing for more room for the tab to be attached to the enlarged
rivet which makes the tab more suitable for the purpose of opening
two orifices instead of one.
[0027] The enlarged rivet also strengthens the center section of
the beverage can lid where the rivet is present. If need be, the
additional room is created by the enlarged rivet to create adequate
room for strengtheners to give the beverage can lid the strength to
handle the load of opening two scored sections in the beverage can
lid. The rivet size is generally doubled the standard beverage can
rivet but can range from a 4 mm to 15 mm circular rivet depending
on the beverage can lid size and design of the two orifices them
selves.
[0028] It should be noted here that in some preferred embodiments,
the tab 103 may have to be placed in a location in which the tab
may be positioned such that it may be able to puncture and open
both orifices. As such, the location of the tab 103, as well as its
location will also depend in part upon the size, shape, and
dimensions of the tab itself. It should also be noted that in some
preferred embodiments, the pressure relief orifice 101 may be
pre-made into the beverage can lid. This orifice may be sealed
through use of an adhesive strip or similar mechanism.
[0029] It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that there are
numerous changes that may be made in embodiments described herein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As
such, the invention taught herein by specific examples is limited
only by the scope of the claims that follow.
* * * * *