EP1289844B1 - Can top for drinks cans - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a can top for drinks cans. Conventional drinks cans, which are mostly made from tinplate, have a top section with an opening and an upper can edge rolled outwards. The aim of the invention is to improve the drinking properties of said drinks cans. According to the invention, the can top possesses a fixing section with an upper edge stop and a raised stop arranged in the lower region, such that the can top can be fixed to the can edge. Furthermore a drinking section is provided which is formed in one-piece on the fixing section and thus extends in the form of a beaker over the upper edge stop of the fixing section.

Description

The present invention relates to a can attachment for Beverage cans that have a lid section with an outside have domed upper edge of the can, the can attachment one overlapping the upper edge of the can, on an upper one Stop edge all the way to the system and at least a top section and a Cup-shaped drinking section on the top section includes. Document US 3185 341 A discloses one such generic can attachment.

Beverage cans have been known for a long time, for example the sale of soft drinks and beers serve. Such beverage cans are often made of thin sheet metal (Tinplate) are manufactured and are included for the Drinks used as single-use packaging. Similar cans are also used in individual cases as packaging for others Liquids (e.g. engine oils) are used. These cans is common that they have a lid portion in which a closed opening is provided, which is usually opened by the user using a pull tab can be. This lid section is on top of the rest largely cylindrical design applied, the connection between the can wall and the lid section is produced by a folded edge, which after the Manufacturing appears as a convex edge. On the special connection procedure between cover section and Can wall does not matter.

Although these beverage cans are very popular because they are one cheap, light and stable packaging for liquids represent and with suitable recording a recycling process can be supplied, they have one crucial disadvantage. A large number of potential End users do not accept these cans because of the drinking from the can sometimes creates difficulties and in particular if the cans are still largely full, there is a risk that liquid is spilled when emptying and the This can contaminate users. These drinking problems of the liquid contained or when emptying the can result from the fact that the lid section essentially at the top of the can, just above the liquid level is positioned so that for the emerging liquid no flow and calming area is available. at if the can is inclined too much, there will also be an irregular one Leakage of the liquid as there is only one opening to the Is available from which both the liquid emerge as air must also enter to equalize the pressure.

Furthermore, users often find it uncomfortable that when drinking the can rim directly into the mouth must take because of the transport and sales operations may be contaminated. In particular in the most common embodiment such beverage cans, in which with a pull tab a part of the cover section, which is also made of thin sheet metal is also torn out due to the resulting sharp tear edges risk of injury the opening in the lid section.

When selling such beverage cans are avoided These disadvantages often consist of plastic beverage cups added, which in particular the advantage of small amount of packaging is destroyed. Moreover this only limits the existing problems solved because even when pouring the liquid into the separate Drinking cups risk of spilling liquid consists. In addition, the handling is difficult because Pour the liquid into either the cup on a straight A mat or two hands are required. When the beverage cans are used outdoors this cumbersome handling undesirable.

From other beverage packaging, it is known that in Cover section only a very small opening is made through which a drinking tube or a straw in the Beverage container is inserted. The withdrawal of liquid is then only possible with difficulty. They are also suitable certain types of drinks, especially carbonated ones Drinks like cola or mineral water on the one hand not for that Storage in the mostly made of cardboard or plastic Containers, on the other hand, such drinks are for the use of a drinking tube is often unsuitable as it overexposure can occur quickly.

In US 5,732,851 is a drinking accessory for beverage cans described which the simultaneous use of the same guarantee for beverage cans with different diameters should be, of three commercially available diameters is assumed. A liquid-tight connection approximately between the drinking attachment and the beverage can to achieve a very tight radial fit of the additional part necessary. A tight fit of the additional part on the Beverage can is also required in spite of the can to hold their weight in the filled part in the additional part. The intention is to use the additional part to provide a handle so that the beverage can on this Handle can be held. In the practical implementation such an additional part, however, shows that the wall thicknesses must be chosen relatively thick to the required Take up contact forces. However, this does one high stiffness of the drinking accessory, a high use of materials as well as a high weight. The necessary forces which must be applied by the user to the additional part to be attached to the edge of the can are high and can be opened Can quickly spill liquid. In addition, the rigidly designed additional part can have manufacturing tolerances and temperature-related changes in dimensions of the edge of the can do not compensate so that the connection is already at low dimensional tolerances will leak.

DE 299 15 265 U1 is an attachment for beverage cans shown, which consists of a cup-shaped hollow body and a this attached collar is made. At the transition from the hollow body to the collar are several protruding radially inwards Clamping lugs provided. However, these clamping lugs cause at most an insufficient mounting of the attachment, not at all but a liquid-tight connection. thats why according to a preferred embodiment as a means for Sealing an additional shrink wrap is required is shrunk over the attachment and the beverage can. This means, however, that this attachment is attached by the manufacturer must be and is only for single use.

In GB 865 259 there is also an attachment part for beverage cans described. It is designed as a kind of sleeve which has a radial groove and a radial stop bead inside having. The upper part of the sleeve widens conically on. To attach the attachment, the edge of the can must be in a circumferential groove are engaged and on a circumferential Cast on the rib. If you look again at the occurring Manufacturing tolerances, is also here with the above disadvantages (Spillage of liquid, contamination of the can wall and fingers or clothing of the drinker). So that a reasonably effective seal is achieved can be, the attachment must be made of a very elastic material be made, which is on the mouth deformed, which in turn can lead to spillage.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a can attachment that is easy on the can can be applied, is inexpensive to manufacture and also if dimensional tolerances occur, a tight one at all times Provides connection to the socket, so that an escape of Liquid on the edge of the can is safely avoided.

This task is solved by a can attachment, at which the upper stop edge is conical by the upper area of the attachment section increasingly towards the inside is arched and merges into a circular opening, the Opening diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the upper edge of the can.

Such a can top has the advantage that it Beverage cup upwards during use extended. The lid section of the can forms the Bottom of this cup-shaped extension, during the can attachment represents the cup side wall. The special problem consists of simple and the can attachment on the one hand cheap to manufacture and on the other hand designed so that even when the drinking process is interrupted, the backward Liquid not at the bottom of the can top and thus escaping on the outer wall of the beverage can, which too contamination of the can and possibly the user would. The can attachment according to the invention is however so designed to ensure fluid leakage prevented. There is no for the attachment of the can attachment Tool required as this is simply on the top edge the lid section is attached. Because of the special Design of the holding curvature snaps the can attachment onto the upper edge, whereby the required Seal is created.

A special embodiment of the can top is in their dimensions of conventional tin cans adapted, the attachment section and the drinking section have essentially circular inner cross sections. This also means that no special attention is paid to putting it on of the can attachment on the beverage can is necessary because the can attachment regardless of the respective angular position to the beverage can easily on the upper edge of the can can be put on.

In an advantageous embodiment, the lower one Area of the top section conically expanded, whereby in this area several vertically spaced retaining arches are arranged. This allows the can attachment to be used in different Beverage cans are used that are regarding of the diameter of the upper edge of the can differ from each other. The can attachment is placed on the respective beverage can pressed so far until the respective in terms of Diameter-matching holding curvature under the upper edge of the can locks.

When large quantities of the can top according to the invention are transported and should be kept in stock is one Embodiment particularly useful in which the upper End of the drinking section in its outer dimensions slightly smaller than the lower opening of the top section is designed. This makes it possible to have several Stack can tops on top of each other, being a good one Matching the top and bottom of the can top ensures that one consisting of many can attachments Stack can be placed in a vertical position. Such Stacks can also be placed in suitable dispensers his.

The comfort to be achieved while using one Can attachment can be increased if one is modified Embodiment of the drinking section according to has a conical shape at the top.

In other embodiments, the inner cross section of the Drinking section essentially identical to the light one Cross section in the area of the stop edge. It is the same possible, the entire outer wall of the can attachment is cylindrical to design with a constant diameter. The the latter embodiment is also particularly suitable for the placement of advertising material on the outer wall of the can top. This gives the can attachment a second function, by providing it as a separate advertising medium. For example, an organizer at an outdoor event his logo or the brands of the event Print supporting sponsors on the can top, which is then distributed as an addition to appropriate beverage cans becomes. The expected advertising effect is very high because of the User the advertising message when emptying the beverage can several times in front of your eyes.

In a further modified embodiment, the upper stop edge of the attachment section is conical, so as to be adapted to different sized can edges. This also affects the normal tolerances of beverage cans balanced, so that in any case a tight seal between the edge of the stop and the edge of the can. The whole The can top advantageously consists of plastic, which enables simple and inexpensive production becomes.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Dosenaufsatzes;

Fig. 2

eine Teilschnittansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform des Dosenaufsatzes;

Fig. 3

eine Teilschnittansicht des Dosenaufsatzes gemäß Fig. 2, der auf einer Getränkedose angeordnet ist;

Fig. 4

Teilschnittansichten von drei Ausführungsformen des Dosenaufsatzes.

Further advantages, details and further developments result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a can attachment according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a partial sectional view of a first embodiment of the can top;

Fig. 3

a partial sectional view of the can attachment of Figure 2, which is arranged on a beverage can.

Fig. 4

Partial sectional views of three embodiments of the can top.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive Can attachment 1, the view perspective so is chosen that by a vertically placed can top seen through. The can attachment 1 consists essentially from a top section 2 and a drinking section 3. The further details of the can top result from the following description of that in FIGS. 2 to 4 shown embodiments.

Fig. 2 shows a partial sectional view of a first embodiment of the can attachment 1. The attachment section 2 has an upper stop edge 4 through which the light Cross section of the attachment section is narrowed inwards. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the upper one Stop edge 4 conical, which makes the can attachment can be used with various beverage cans differ in the diameter of their top edge. In the embodiment shown here, the lower area of the top section 2 with a slightly conical Form trained. In the lower area of the top section in this case, two holding arches 5 are provided, due to the conical shape of the attachment section 2 the inner diameter resulting in the area of the holding arch smaller in the upper holding arch than in the lower one Is arch. The drinking section 3 is in this Embodiment designed cylindrical, the drinking section 3 attaches directly to the stop edge 4 and there existing cross-sectional area along its entire Extends extension.

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view of a portion of the already shown in Fig. 2 embodiment of the can top 1, this being placed on a beverage can 6 is. There is essentially only one of the beverage can 6 upper can wall section 7 and part of a lid section 8 shown. There is an opening 9 in the cover section 8 provided from which the liquid from the beverage can 6 can emerge. The lid section 8 is with the can wall 7 by an outwardly arched, folded can edge 10 connected. Over this can edge 10 is the top section 2 slipped on, with the retaining curvature 5 under the edge of the can 10 engages and thus the can attachment 1 on the beverage can 6 attached. The distance between the arch 5 and the upper stop edge 4 of the can attachment is chosen so that the edge of the can 10 with the retaining curvature 5 engaged at the top Stop edge 4 abuts so that a largely liquid-tight Connection between the can attachment and the beverage can will be produced. The conical design of the Stop edge 4 and the arrangement of several retaining arches 5 allows the can attachment for different beverage cans or depending on the choice of dimensions at least for one special beverage can, including the usual one To design tolerances appropriately. As soon as the can attachment 1 is anchored to the edge of the can 10, which is from the Liquid 9 emerging from the opening is passed from the drinking section 3, so that the can attachment 1 in connection with the lid portion 8 forms a kind of drinking cup. 3 is also clearly recognizable that the narrowing of the cross-section, which from Stop edge 4 is caused, dimensionally so on the beverage can is coordinated that the stop edge 4 slightly protrudes inward beyond the can rim 10. This is ensures that the on the inner wall of the drinking section 3rd liquid flowing back when the drinking process is interrupted not between the can rim 10 and the top section 2 arrives, but in the lid section 8 of the beverage can flows back and can possibly flow into the opening 9 there. This also results in a pleasant side effect of the can top, which can also be used for a beverage can refill from a storage container if necessary, without a funnel or similar auxiliary element must be inserted into the opening 9.

4 shows partial sectional representations of various embodiments of the can top. It is only a cross section at a time represented by the wall of the can attachment, the skilled person will recognize that the can top at constant wall profile preferably circular is to stick to the usual circular beverage cans to be adapted. However, it is also conceivable to use the can attachment in terms of its cross-section to other cross-sectional shapes adapt from beverage cans, for example square Cross sections to use. The one shown in FIG. 4 middle wall profile in turn affects those already in the Fig.n 2 and 3 explained embodiment of the can top 1. The wall profile shown on the right illustrates this a modified embodiment of a can top 11, with the drinking section 3 in its upper region is flared. This can reduce the drinking properties possibly further improved. In contrast, that explains wall profile shown on the far left a third embodiment a can top 12, in which the outer wall of Drinking section 3 and top section 2 continuously runs, so that the can attachment 12 on its outside as uniform cylinder appears. In this embodiment it is particularly easy to do on the outside of the Can attach advertising elements, for example can be printed on or stamped into the wall.

Various modified embodiments are conceivable. The can top is expediently made of plastic, known spraying methods can be used for the production are.

Claims (10)

1. A container attachment (1) for beverage containers (6) that have a cap section (8) with an orifice (9), and an upper container edge (10) that bulges outwards, wherein the container attachment includes:

   an attachment section (2) that clasps the upper container edge (10), the entire circumference of the container edge (10) being constrained flush with an upper limiting edge (4) and at least one retaining protrusion (5) clamping the attachment section against the container edge (10); and

   a drinking section (3), the upper part of which is formed on the container edge (10) in the shape of a cup;

   characterised in that the upper limiting edge (4) is conically shaped, as the upper portion of the attachment section is curved progressively inwardly and ends in a circular orifice, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the upper container edge (10).
2. The container attachment according to claim 1, characterised in that the internal cross-sections of the attachment section (2) and the drinking section (3) are essentially circular.
3. The container attachment according to claim 2, characterised in that the lower portion of the attachment section (2) is flared conically on the inside and that multiple retaining protrusions (5) arranged with vertical separation from each other are provided in this portion.
4. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the external dimensions at the upper extremity of the drinking section (3) are slightly smaller than the lower orifice of the attachment section (2), so that multiple container attachments (1) can be stacked one on top of the other.
5. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the drinking section (3) has a shape that is flared conically upwards.
6. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the internal cross-section of the drinking section (3) is essentially equal to the clear opening in area of the limiting edge (4).
7. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the outer wall thereof is cylindrical in shape with a uniform external diameter.
8. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that it is made from plastic.
9. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the dimensions thereof are adapted to those of conventional beverage containers (6) made from tinplate with a tear-off opening (9) in the cap section (8).
10. The container attachment according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the outer wall thereof is also used to carry advertisements in the form of text or image elements.

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