U.S. patent application number 17/306710 was filed with the patent office on 2022-01-06 for dual mouth shotgun can.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ryan Benson. Invention is credited to Ryan Benson.
Application Number | 20220002025 17/306710 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-01-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220002025 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Benson; Ryan |
January 6, 2022 |
DUAL MOUTH SHOTGUN CAN
Abstract
The dual mouth shotgun can may combine the advantages of a
standard aluminum beverage can with a second opening to allow for a
high rate of air flow and displacement resulting in a high rate of
fluid flow from the can. The can may implement a stay-tab
mechanism, or any other appropriate mechanism, for ease of use and
familiarity, on the standard top opening, and may further implement
a stay-tab mechanism, or other appropriate mechanism on the bottom
or lower side of the can for shotgunning the fluid in the can.
Inventors: |
Benson; Ryan; (Ontario,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Benson; Ryan |
Ontario |
CA |
US |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/306710 |
Filed: |
May 3, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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63048033 |
Jul 3, 2020 |
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International
Class: |
B65D 17/28 20060101
B65D017/28; B65D 17/00 20060101 B65D017/00 |
Claims
1. A dual mouth shotgun can, comprising: a top surface; a bottom
surface; a perimeter wall; a top mouth; and a side mouth; wherein
said top surface is connected to said bottom surface by said
perimeter wall to form a cylindrical container; and wherein said
top mouth is integrated into said top surface.
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said side mouth is integrated
into a lower side of said perimeter wall.
3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said side mouth is integrated
into said bottom surface.
4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said top mouth comprises a
reversibly sealable opening.
5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said side mouth comprises a
reversibly sealable opening.
6. A dual mouth shotgun can, comprising: a fluid container; a top
mouth; and a side mouth; wherein said top mouth is integrated into
a top surface of said fluid container; and wherein said side mouth
is integrated into a perimeter surface of said fluid container.
7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said fluid container is a soda
can.
8. The invention of claim 6, wherein said fluid container is a beer
can.
9. The invention of claim 6, wherein said fluid container is a beer
bottle.
10. The invention of claim 6, wherein said fluid container is a
wine bottle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to fluid
containers, and, more specifically, to a dual mouth shotgun
can.
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent application may
contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The owner
has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the
patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
[0003] Certain marks referenced herein may be common law or
registered trademarks of third parties affiliated or unaffiliated
with the applicant or the assignee. Use of these marks is by way of
example and should not be construed as descriptive or to limit the
scope of this invention to material associated only with such
marks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A beverage can is a, usually, metal container designed to
hold a volume of volatile fluids such as carbonated soft drinks,
beers, sparkling waters, sparkling wine coolers, and energy drinks.
Such cans aid in keeping the fluids contained within carbonated
until they are opened for drinking. Beverage cans are generally
made available in metals such as aluminum or tin-plated steel for
ease of manufacturing and recycling.
[0005] Most beverage cans have a single-use opening on their top
surface that provides a mechanism to aid a user in opening the can.
One very common type of opening is the stay-tab opening mechanism,
which provides a lever arm riveted to the top of the can, and which
can be lifted to press against a mouth lid having a relatively thin
connection to the rest of the top. The mouth lid can be popped down
into the can using the lever arm, and a user can then drink from
the can. Another type of opening in use is the pop-tab or pull-tab
mechanism, by which a user pulled up on the lever arm and removed
the mouth lid from the top of the can.
[0006] All such mechanisms roughly employ the basic principles of
fluid displacement, namely that for fluid to come out of the can it
must be replaced with air. A common modification to cans in recent
history was to use a wider mouth design, which allowed more air
into the can for a higher rate of flow.
[0007] Another common method for increasing the air flow into a can
and, thus, the fluid flow out of the can, is to puncture the can
somewhere other than the mouth. The larger the opening, of course,
the more fluid will flow out of the can. The act of shotgunning a
beer, for example, involves a user punching a large hole into the
side of a can, and then opening the can mouth to rapidly draw air
into the can while expelling the beer at a very high rate of
flow.
[0008] No solution exists, though, to provide a beverage can that
comes pre-installed with two mouth openings and two opening
mechanisms.
[0009] Thus, there is a need in the art for a dual mouth shotgun
can that may provide a user with a single opening mechanism on its
top surface for normal drinking, and a second opening mechanism on
its bottom or lower side surface for drinks shotgunning. It is to
these ends that the present invention has been developed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] To minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to
minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon reading and
understanding the present specification, the present invention
describes a dual mouth shotgun can.
[0011] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a
dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a beverage can.
[0012] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise an aluminum can.
[0013] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a top opening
mechanism.
[0014] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a side opening
mechanism.
[0015] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a stay-tab opening
mechanism.
[0016] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a pop-tab opening
mechanism.
[0017] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a wide mouth
opening.
[0018] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a resilient material of
construction.
[0019] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a water-proof material
of construction.
[0020] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a reusable material of
construction.
[0021] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise a washable material of
construction.
[0022] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise an antimicrobial
layer.
[0023] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a dual mouth shotgun can that may comprise an antimicrobial
material of construction.
[0024] These and other advantages and features of the present
invention are described herein with specificity so as to make the
present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the
art, both with respect to how to practice the present invention and
how to make the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to
scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding
of these various elements and embodiments of the invention.
Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well
understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to
provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the
invention.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a front isometric perspective view of a dual mouth
shotgun can, as contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a front plan view of a dual mouth shotgun can, as
contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of a dual mouth shotgun can, as
contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a right side elevation view of a dual mouth
shotgun can, as contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a left side elevation view of a dual mouth shotgun
can, as contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a dual mouth shotgun can, as
contemplated by the present disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a front isometric perspective view of a dual mouth
shotgun can with its side mouth opened, as contemplated by the
present disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a front plan view of a dual mouth shotgun can with
its side mouth opened, as contemplated by the present
disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a right side elevation view of a dual mouth
shotgun can with its side mouth opened, as contemplated by the
present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a left side elevation view of a dual mouth
shotgun can with its side mouth opened, as contemplated by the
present disclosure; and
[0036] FIG. 11 is a front three-quarters plan view of a dual mouth
shotgun can with its side mouth opened, as contemplated by the
present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Certain terminology is used in the following description for
reference only and is not limiting. The words "front," "rear,"
"anterior," "posterior," "lateral," "medial," "upper," "lower,"
"outer," "inner," and "interior" refer to directions toward and
away from, respectively, the geometric center of the invention, and
designated parts thereof, in accordance with the present
disclosure. Unless specifically set forth herein, the terms "a,"
"an," and "the" are not limited to one element, but instead should
be read as meaning "at least one." The terminology includes the
words noted above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar
import.
[0038] The dual mouth shotgun can may combine the advantages of a
standard aluminum beverage can with a second opening to allow for a
high rate of air flow and displacement resulting in a high rate of
fluid flow from the can. The can may implement a stay-tab
mechanism, or any other appropriate mechanism, for ease of use and
familiarity, on the standard top opening, and may further implement
a stay-tab mechanism, or other appropriate mechanism on the bottom
or lower side of the can for shotgunning the fluid in the can.
[0039] The illustrations of FIGS. 1-11 illustrate a dual mouth
shotgun can, as contemplated by the present disclosure. The device
may comprise, generally, a main body 100 having two openable mouths
for drinking or air flow. The main body 100 may comprise,
generally, a substantially cylindrical beverage can having a top
surface 102, a bottom surface 104, and a perimeter wall 106. The
top surface 102 and bottom surface 104 may be orientated
substantially parallel to one another, and the perimeter wall 106
may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the top surface and
bottom surface.
[0040] The openable mouths may each comprise, generally, an inlet
or outlet for air or fluids, respectively. A first of the openable
mouths, which may be known as a top mouth 108, may be located on or
within the top surface 102 of the main body 100, and the second of
the openable mouths, which may be known as a side mouth 110, may be
located on or within the bottom surface 104 of the main body 100 or
near a lower edge of the perimeter wall 106.
[0041] To begin using the device a user may hold the dual mouth
shotgun can in a substantially horizontal position with the side
mouth facing upwards 110. The user may open the side mouth 110 and
place their own mouth to it. The user may then orient the dual
mouth shotgun can vertically and open the top mouth 108 at the top
of the device. The opening of the top mouth 108 then allows air to
rush in and displace the fluid in the container, allowing it to
rush out of the dual mouth shotgun can at a maximum rate.
[0042] The dual mouth shotgun can may vary in size and capacity as
desired. By way of example, a beverage can in Australia may be
standardized to hold 375 milliliters (ml) of fluid. A beverage can
in China, on the other hand, may be standardized to hold 330 ml of
fluid. In the United States the most common sizes of beverage cans
are approximately 355 ml and 4.83 inches in height and 2.6 inches
in diameter.
[0043] The dual mouth shotgun can may vary in materials composition
and combinations as desired. By way of example, most beverage cans
manufactured in the United States are made of aluminum, whereas in
some parts of Europe and Asia approximately 55 percent of beverage
cans are made of steel and 45 percent are aluminum alloy. Steel
cans often have a top surface made of aluminum. The aluminum used
in the United States and Canada are alloys containing 92.5% to 97%
aluminum, <5.5% magnesium, <1.6% manganese, <0.15%
chromium, and some trace amounts of iron, silicon, and copper.
[0044] The dual mouth shotgun can may be manufactured in any
appropriate manner. By way of example, most beverage cans may be
generally produced through a mechanical cold forming process that
starts with punching a flat blank from very stiff cold-rolled metal
sheet. This sheet may be an aluminum alloy with about 1% manganese
and 1% magnesium to give it strength and formability. The flat
blank may be first formed into a cup about three inches in
diameter. This cup may then then pushed through a different forming
process called ironing which forms the can. The bottom of the can
may also be shaped at this time. The malleable metal may deform
into the shape of an open-top can.
[0045] Plain top surfaces may be stamped from a coil of aluminum
alloy and transferred to another press that converts them to
easy-open ends. This press is known as a conversion press and may
form an integral rivet button in the lid and score the opening,
while concurrently forming the tabs in another die from a separate
strip of aluminum. The second openable mouth in the bottom surface
or side of the can may be formed in the same manner.
[0046] The opening mechanism of the two openable mouths may be any
appropriate opening mechanism. By way of example, the two opening
mechanisms may be pop-tabs, which have a ring attached to the rivet
and the scored mouth lid for pulling off. The two opening mechanism
may be stay-tabs, which have a lever arm attached to the rivet and
the scored mouth lid for pressing inwards. The two opening
mechanism may include a wide mouth opening, which allows for a
higher rate of flow of both air and fluids through the mouths. The
two opening mechanisms may be resealable inasmuch as the mechanisms
incorporate a press-fit or screw-on mouth lid.
[0047] The dual mouth shotgun can may be substantially constructed
of any suitable material or combination of materials, but typically
is constructed of a resilient material or combination of materials
such that the device is resistant to damage as a result of
compression, twisting, heating, or submersion in water. As an
example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention,
various exemplary embodiments of the dual mouth shotgun can may be
substantially constructed of one or more materials of silicone,
plastic, acrylic, polycarbonate, steel, aluminum, brass,
fiberglass, carbon fiber, or combinations thereof. In some
embodiments the various components of the device may be coated,
lined, or otherwise insulated to prevent contamination of the
device. In one embodiment the material of construction may vary
from one component to the next within the system.
[0048] In one embodiment the dual mouth shotgun can may comprise a
resilient material of construction that either comprises a material
having antimicrobial properties or comprises a layering of
antimicrobial material or coating. Antimicrobial properties
comprise the characteristic of being antibacterial, biocidal,
microbicidal, anti-fungal, anti-viral, or other similar
characteristics, and the oligodynamic effect, which is possessed by
copper, brass, silver, gold, and several other metals and alloys,
is one such characteristic. Copper and its alloys, in particular,
have exceptional self-sanitizing effects. Silver also has this
effect, and is less toxic to users than copper. Some materials,
such as silver in its metallic form, may require the presence of
moisture to activate the antimicrobial properties.
[0049] While the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
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.
* * * * *